Cop slammed over footage showing his violent arrest of pregnant black woman has retired
This is the shocking moment a Florida cop drags a pregnant black woman out of her car and slams her to the ground, which has left the city furious after he was allowed to retire.
Police had been called to the scene in Boca Raton in May by a witness who said partners Harry Hardy and Nerillia Laurent had been in a heated argument.
Body cam footage captured officer Matthew McNichol confront the couple, which includes him telling the two that Boca Raton was 'his city'.
After ordering Laurent out of the car McNichol grabs her by the arm and twists it behind her back and pulls her to the ground, all the while she screams 'I'm pregnant'.
As McNichol pins Laurent to the ground, her partner Hardy can be heard saying: 'She's six months pregnant, what is wrong with him?!' to another officer.
Despite Laurent protesting that she was pregnant at the time, McNichol hauled her from the vehicle
Officer Matthew McNichol, pictured here, had grabbed McNichol from her vehicle and forced her to the ground, while she was pregnant
BocaNewsNow.com first reported that officer McNichol had been allowed to retire from his department shortly after the incident in May of this year.
Boca Raton Human Resources confirmed McNichol submitted his notice of retirement on June 1, with his official last day being June 10.
In the video, McNichol can be seen approaching the vehicle and tells them: 'Why are we getting all kinds of phone calls?'
Henry replies that they are having a dispute, to which he replies: 'You're having a dispute in public in my city, the city of Boca Raton.'
The three then begin arguing after McNichol demands their IDs from them, to witch they refuse.
Henry tells McNichol: 'She doesn't have to give you her license', while Laurent can be heard saying: 'If you arrest me now and put me on the ground and I am pregnant, you are going to get charged.'
For the next two minutes, McNichol continues to tell the two they will be arrested for not cooperating.
Henry can be heard telling the former officer: 'Don't touch her, she is pregnant.' McNichol tells Laurent: 'I'm going to lock you up', to which she replies 'I don't care.'
After going back and forth with the two, McNichol makes a grab at Laurent, seen here in this picture
Laurent was then pinned to the ground as her and her children cried out over her arrest
The officer then grabs her by the rest as she and her children that are in the car scream out.
Henry attempts to run to his partners aid but is forced to back off after being threatened with a taser by the McNichol and his other officer.
Laurent continues to shout: 'I am pregnant', as McNichol continues to tell her numerous times that he 'doesn't care'.
While taking her to the back of his police vehicle, he tells her to 'stop with the dramatic'.
Footage then shows Henry shouting at the officers telling them: 'She's six months pregnant, what is wrong with him.'
Henry is then also placed under arrest by McNichol and continues to shout at him, saying: 'She's pregnant, six months pregnant. Aggressive for no reason.'
Henry attempts to run to his partners aid but is forced to back off after being threatened with a taser by the McNichol and his other officer.
After the footage was released Laurent, pictured on the right here, said she didn't want another family to be traumatized like they had been
The chief of Boca Raton Police said they had opened an investigation into the incident, but McNichol is now understood to have resigned
McNichol appears to goad McNichol, telling him he 'is going to jail'.
In a statement following the video being released, Police Chief Michele Miuccio: 'An internal affairs investigation has been initiated into the officer's conduct and it will be thoroughly investigated and appropriately addressed based on the outcome of that investigation.'
After the footage was released , Laurent told CBS12 News: 'I basically want him to never do this to another couple, another person. I don't want another child to be traumatized by him again.'
Boca Raton Police confirmed that Laurent was charged with resisting an officer and was issued a citation for not having a valid license.
She had also been arrested for an active warrant out of Palm Beach County for failure to appear.
Hardy was charged with battery on a law enforcement officer.
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