Sources have identified the Philadelphia Police officer being investigated for punching a woman in the face during the Puerto Rican Day Parade festivities as Highway Patrol Lt. Jonathan Josey.
The incident was captured on video and posted on YouTube. The video is dated Sept. 30 and it appears to take place near Fifth Street and Lehigh Avenue.
The video shows several police officers in the crowd when someone appears to throw some type of liquid on the officers. A woman turns around and walks away from police before a police supervisor turns around, walks toward the woman and slugs her right in the face, knocking her to the ground. The officer then handcuffs the woman as other officers watch.
Lt. Raymond Evers said police were alerted to the video through social media. He said they have identified the officer, although he declined to name the officer. Evers confirmed that the incident is under investigation.
“The Commissioner, who is out of town, is fully aware of the incident, the video and the steps we are taking here,” Evers said.
The woman was arrested for disorderly conduct, given a summary citation and let go, he said.
Josey has been in the news previously for on- and off-duty exploits. In 2006, he was featured as a Daily News Sexy Single. In the article, Josey said his most outstanding features were his “charm and magnetic personality.”
In March 2010, the 40-year-old officer fatally shot an armed robber during a holdup of a 7-Eleven convenience store near Saint Joseph’s University. In July of that year, he was stabbed while off-duty when he tried to break up a fight outside a West Philadelphia bar, reports said.
Fraternal Order of Police President John McNesby came to Josey’s defense.
“We’re going to stand by the officer. We look forward to the entire investigation being completed where you see all the video involved, not just a 25-second clip,” McNesby said.
He described Josey as a “good, decorated cop,” and said the force may be justified given the circumstances. “Although it didn’t look pretty, it may not have been excessive.”
