The Kent County Prosecutor's Office has dismissed resisting and opposing charges against Emran Sharifi.
Sharifi was charged with assaulting, resisting or obstructing a police officer causing serious impairment of a body function after he landed on and broke a Grand Rapids police officer's leg while Sharifi was being arrested.
Watch below: Defense claims Grand Rapids police officers had a 'bet' when man was arrested
Kent County Prosecutor Chris Becker said he reviewed the transcript of the preliminary hearing and body-camera videos, which led to the decision to dismiss the charges.
"The body camera conversation with Officer Lee discussing attempting to achieve 20 arrests in a weekend is extremely problematic in moving forward with the R&O charge. It is entirely inappropriate to set some sort of goal for arrest over any period of time, and these statements call into question the validity of the arrest in this specific matter, and would make proving this charge beyond a reasonable doubt impossible. While the officer testified the comments regarding a bet and achieving a number of arrests were meant as a joke, I do not believe this is a topic that should be joked about. Based on the facts revealed at the preliminary exam, I have directed my APA to file a dismissal with the court," Becker said in a release.
How did the arrest play out?
On June 19, Grand Rapids police officers initiated a traffic stop near Kalamazoo Avenue and Dickinson Street. Per the department, the driver had failed to properly use a turn signal.
As seen in body camera video, an officer then approached the car after it had stopped and witnessed Emran Sharifi, sitting in the passenger seat, not wearing a seatbelt.
"You don't have a seatbelt on," the officer said. "You don't have one on, you're going to have to provide your name."
Sharifi refused to provide identification.
"Why are you asking for my name? I'm not even driving," he said.
Less than a minute later and after continued refusals to give his name, Sharifi was arrested.
"You're under arrest," the officer said.
As seen in cell phone video, GRPD officers attempted to take Sharifi into custody by pulling his arms, legs and head and hitting him in the face and legs.
"I'm going to sue you," said Sharifi, bracing his feet against the floor and his hands against the ceiling, refusing to leave the car. "Get off of me!"
After a struggle that lasted for around a minute, officers were able to pull Sharifi from the car and, as they together fell backward and to the ground, Sharifi's body rolled up on the leg of one of the officers, causing it to break.
