Updated: The videos released Friday by Coral Gables Police is not the only footage revolving around the arrest of a U.S. Congressman’s son in Coral Gables Wednesday.
The five videos from CCTV cameras on nearby skyscrapers show the events that occurred at Morton’s Steakhouse on Ponce de Leon Boulevard, when CJ Gimenez slapped Miami Commissioner Alex Diaz de la Portilla on the head and got tackled by the commissioner’s bodyguard.
But there is reportedly more video recorded at the police station that show a different Miami Police officer showing up, walking in and handcuffing Gimenez with the intent of taking him into their custody. He takes the handcuffs off after a Gables Police officer tells the Miami cop ‘Nananina, he’s staying here and we’re making the arrest.’ Or something to that effect.
Sounds kinda third world Banana Republic but Ladra is not making this up.
Read related: Videos show CJ Gimenez ‘slap’, zealous takedown by Miami Police bodyguard
A source who was there told Ladra that a Miami Police officer showed up in the holding cell or interview room where Gimenez was being held before he was transported to the Turner Guilford Knight Correctional Center. He had apparently been sent to bring CJ back to the Miami Police station.
For what reason? One can only imagine. To hold him longer? Strip search him? Rough him up a little? Plant drugs on him? Who knows? There is no legitimate reason whatsoever to have him taken to the Miami station.
Unless it’s to rack up more charges. Resisting arrest with violence is a felony. So is battery on a police officer, even though officially Gimenez was defending himself from a motivated mercenary. Luckily for Gimenez and the congressman’s family, the Coral Gables Police don’t play that. It is a more serious and professional police department than the city of Miami’s.
And who told this officer to go there and scoop Gimenez up? How did that go down the chain of command? This is worth investigating. Public records have been requested.
Read related: Question surround strange arrest of CJ Gimenez for ‘battery’ in Coral Gables
Gables Police Chief Ed Hudak told Ladra on Thursday that he was not put under any pressure by the city of Miami to turn the case over to them. But he did say during the press conference Wednesday that the Miami Police would be making the arrest, which they ended up not making.
Figuring out who and how he was going to be taken to jail may be why it took so long, because he wasn’t booked until much later that night.
Hudak did not return calls to his cellphone Friday to inquire about the contact made by a Miami Police officer while Gimenez was in their custody.
But Ladra has requested video of the interview room and the holding cell for the hours that Gimenez was being detained. I’m going to add the lobby to that list on Monday.
Miami Police reportedly wanted to take custody of CJ Gimenez in Gables fracas added by Ladra on
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