Police Seize Medical Records of Woman Brutally Beaten by Officer
The California Highway Patrol has seized the medical records of Marlene Pinnock, the woman seen being held down and repeatedly punched by a CHP officer in the video above, the Associated Press reports.
The video, shot July 1, made a splash online after it was published. Pinnock was hospitalized after the roadside beating and remains in medical care.
Caree Harper, Pinnock's lawyer, said she was "outraged" about the violation of doctor-patient privacy and attorney-client privilege, according to the AP. The records, taken under a CHP search warrant, make mention of the attorney:
"She suffered a traumatic head injury," Harper said. "How can you give away files about someone injured ... to the very people who beat her?"
CHP Commissioner Joe Farrow wouldn't confirm the warrant to the AP, and claimed that the department isn't trying to "make it an issue about [Pinnock]":
"I think what they're trying to do is, they don't have a statement from her, and they're trying to find that out," Farrow said. "I don't think the CHP is trying to put her on trial or make it an issue about her. What I'm looking at is entirely about the circumstances, we all saw what happened. Our job is to find out the why and the how."
The unnamed officer seen on the video was placed on desk duty and will remain there until an internal investigation is closed.