New Orleans Cop Slams A Man For Resisting Arrest!

An off-duty Louisiana State Police trooper acted appropriately when he body-slammed a man to the ground while making an arrest on Bourbon Street last week, State Police officials said Wednesday (June 29). State Police supervisors and training academy staff have watched widely circulated cellphone video of the June 24 arrest in the 200 block of Bourbon Street, said Trooper Melissa Matey. The trooper had just finished a 12-hour shift when he was flagged down around 4 a.m. by staff at Beach on Bourbon, 227 Bourbon St., about an intoxicated customer refusing to leave, Matey said. The trooper repeatedly told that customer, identified by State Police as Illinois native Michael Hoffman, to leave the area, Matey said. The man's brother, also shown on the video, tries to convince Hoffman to leave, Matey said. But when the trooper grabbed Hoffman to try to arrest him, Matey said Hoffman resisted, forcing the trooper to shove Hoffman's brother to the side and force Hoffman to the ground. Cellphone video of the arrest shows the trooper push Hoffman's brother into garbage cans before slamming Hoffman face first to the ground. Hoffman is heard saying, "How is this OK?" during the incident, which ends with the trooper placing Hoffman in handcuffs. Hoffman, 39, received municipal summons for resisting arrest, public intoxication, criminal trespassing and disturbing the peace, Matey said. The State Police's top commander, Col. Michael Edmonson, said the trooper "acted appropriately given the circumstances." When reached by phone Wednesday (June 29), Hoffman deferred questions to his attorney, who did not immediately return a message seeking comment.