Skip to main content
cop-saves-man's-life-then-beats-him

Boston, MA -- In May of 2014, MBTA detective Shawn Conway made an amazingly swift move and grabbed a man a split second before he fell onto the train tracks at Park Street Station.

The officers actions were truly amazing. The MBTA subsequently released the surveillance footage from the station showing Conway's heroic actions. But they left the second half of the video out; we now know why.

The video originally released by the MBTA ends with the detective dragging the man to safety. But the second half of the video shows a struggle between Conway and the man he just saved, Anthony Ferrier.

The surveillance camera recorded Conway punching Ferrier in the face multiple times, leaving him injured.

In a statement, the MBTA Transit Police told 5 Investigates: "Detective Conway's use of force was justified and commensurate for the situation." It went on to say the department's Use of Force Committee concluded "Conway was in compliance with policy."

However, an attorney for Ferrier thinks the force was too much.

"The MBTA misled the public and clearly intended to do so," said David Milton, Ferrier's lawyer. "If they truly believe the officer's actions were appropriate beginning to end, they should have released the entire video and let the public decide."

After seeing the second part of the video, it is clear that the MBTA did misrepresent the entire situation. The partial video being released is clearly misleading.

Scroll to Continue

Recommended for You

Had the MBTA not tried to intentionally hide the second half of this video, the public's perception could have been much different.

However, the end result of both videos is the same; Ferrier is alive.

The Free Thought Project is dedicated to holding government accountable while maintaining the facts. It would be irresponsible to not look at all the angles in this incident.

It is quite obvious that Conway originally intended to save Ferrier's life, and he did. But did the officer have to punch him repeatedly in the face afterward?

It can be argued that, yes, he did have to punch Ferrier to prevent him from trying to go back out on the tracks. It can also be argued that Conway's force was excessive.

Ferrier's attorney thinks that the force was excessive. "Properly trained police officers do not punch people in the face," Milton said. "Properly trained police officers receive extensive training in subduing suspects."

One thing is certain in this case, and that is Ferrier would be dead if Conway hadn't risked his own life by pulling the man back as he fell over the edge onto the tracks.

Let us know what you think about this video in the comments below. Is Ferrier's lawsuit going to be able to sway jurors into thinking that he was a victim of police brutality? Or will he look like an entitled statist, who wants his life saved by police and then receive a steak dinner too?