In court Thursday morning in Nashua, Simone opted to waive his extradition hearing in New Hampshire.
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Richard Simone was reportedly beaten by police officers on May 11 after a high-speed chase from MA to New Hampshire (video below).
When a pursuit crosses state boundaries, the policy dictates that troopers should terminate the chase if it is for a misdemeanor, and that they only may pursue into another state when authorized by the troop duty officer.
This booking photo released Thursday, May 12, 2016, by the Nashua Police Department shows Richard Simone, of Worcester, Mass., who led police on a high-speed chase from MA into New Hampshire Wednesday.
Quinn and McKeon both described video footage of what happened next as “disturbing”.
Full investigation: New Hampshire Governor Maggie Hassan ordered an investigation into the incident on Thursday.
The internal police reviews are separate from the New Hampshire attorney general’s criminal investigation. He will face charges on the underlying warrants and also new charges relating to the vehicle chase on Wednesday, according to Procopio. He was wearing a Boston Red Sox T-shirt and shorts. Authorities say Simone has several outstanding warrants for assault and battery with a unsafe weapon, larceny and failure to stop for police.
“The Massachusetts State Police expect and demand all department members to act at all times with integrity, honor, and adherence to the law”.
“Another will be of the pursuit “…as the video captured by news helicopters shows a use of force against the suspect”, Procopio said in the statement.
When the suspect, identified as 50-year-old Richard Simone, refused to pull over, Holden Police began a pursuit. It’s unclear where and when he’ll be arraigned, but it will likely be in New Hampshire first.
The department also hasn’t named the officer, who they say is 32, has been on the police force since 2011 and was assigned to its Andover Barracks.
MA will conduct its own investigation into the incident. He said any determination on criminal charges would be made by the state attorney general’s office pending the investigation. It was then that one officer punched him in the face causing him to collapse and four officers pinned him to the ground. Only two state police cars may engage in an active pursuit.
“We find the video very concerning”, said state ACLU legal director Gilles Bissonnette. This inquiry will work “to determine what force was used, by whom, and whether it was appropriate under the law”, Jeffery A. Strelzin, senior assistant attorney general, wrote in an email Thursday. Simone, along with numerous officers in the video, appeared to be white. A Holden Police officer tried to stop Simone in Holden, but Simone allegedly led police on a high-speed chase through several towns and eventually into New Hampshire.
The police approached the battered pickup truck, and Simone can clearly be seen getting out of his auto with his hands in the air, surrendering.
The pursuit lasted about an hour. Police in Holden recognized the driver of a vehicle as Richard Simone, 50.
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Simone was taken into custody by Nashua police, who haven’t returned phone calls seeking comment on the chase and Simone’s treatment.
