The Euclid police officer fired after video showing him appearing to beat up a suspect went viral, has been reinstated by the department.
An arbitrator on Monday ruled that Michael Amiott be rehired by the Euclid Police Department nearly a year after he was terminated.
Amiott was involved in a traffic stop that turned violent on August 12, 2017. 25-year-old Richard Hubbard III was pulled over on E 228th St. just before 10:30 a.m. for "a moving/traffic violation." Hubbard was ordered to exit the car and face away so he could be taken into custody.
Police say Hubbard refused, and a violent struggle ensued. The video that was captured showed Amiott taking Hubbard to the ground, punching him multiple times.
Hubbard, who says he's still afraid to drive in Euclid, on Monday, along with his attorney called the decision to put Amiott back on the job, "dumbfounding".
"You really going to fire someone then put another race soldier back on the street. That's how I feel. He really beat me. Everybody saw me get out of the car and within 2 seconds I was getting beat up. It's crazy," said Hubbard.
Hubbard's attorney, Christopher McNeal reacted to the decision, saying, "The mayor of Euclid took decisive action and expelled this rogueish, unfit police officer and yet here we are with these unelected officials, these sycophant bootlickers, who are the enemies of justice."
Initially, Amiott was suspended for 15 days without pay, then 30 additional days were tacked on. On October 13, 2017, he was fired after Euclid Mayor Kirsten Gail said her office had received "further complaints regarding Amiott's professional conduct" and found that he had violated additional department rules, leading to his termination.
According to Euclid Law Director Kelley Sweeney, Amiott gets his job back with the following conditions:
- 80 hours in-class training
- 60 to 90 days of additional field training
- No side jobs during probation
- Removal from the police department's SWAT team
Hubbard, who has filed a civil rights suit against Euclid Police on Monday said, "I just want justice. A charge, jail time or something for real because this aint gonna work," Hubbard said.
On Monday, Mayor Gail released a statement about the arbitrator's decision to reinstate Amiott, saying she is 'disappointed by the decision,' but respects the arbitration process and accepts the ruling.
Members of the Hubbard family reacted to the decision on WKYC's Facebook Live:
The Euclid chapter of the NAACP also has reacted to the news of Amiott's reinstatement, putting out the following statement on Monday evening: