New information regarding the alleged police brutality incident January 24 surfaced this week. An investigation into the incident revealed that Clemmie Carthans, the SSA student allegedly assaulted by the UCPD, is a convicted felon who has served time in prison.
Society places obstacles that make it difficult for convicted felons like Carthans to reform their lives. Carthans must be commended for being accepted to the SSA and attempting to start again.
Though some have accused the Maroon of acting unfairly towards Carthans by bringing his past to the attention of the University community, we feel strongly that sunshine is the best disinfectant. The only way to separate fact from fiction is to bring all relevant information into the open. The UCPD is currently under a great deal of scrutiny from the University and other groups. If the UCPD must be viewed under a microscope, so should Carthans.
The UCPD’s side of the story remains unclear, due to legal issues. Even though Carthans is on parole, if his account of the incident is true, the police officers were outside the bounds of the law to treat him in the manner he claims they did.