MEMPHIS, TN - Authorities with the Memphis Police Department (MPD) said that a man and woman have been accused of assaulting multiple police officers at Crosstown Concourse during the evening hours on Tuesday, February 4th.
According to WREG, police responded to a disturbance call at Global Cafe at Crosstown Concourse around 4:00 p.m. Upon arriving on scene, an employee told police that a woman, since identified as 22-year-old Amiya Johnson, refused to leave the business when asked to.
Officers on scene also asked Johnson to leave, but she again refused. When officers attempted to arrest her, she and the man she was with, identified as 37-year-old Donald Batiste, began pushing and punching the officers. Johnson was taken into custody, but Batiste continued to resist officers. Police deployed chemical agent, to which Batiste then complied and was arrested.
MPD said that one of the officers involved was taken to Regional One Hospital to be treated for injuries to his face. When officers first responded to the call, a large fight broke out and four people were detained, one of which was Shelby County General Sessions Court Clerk Tami Sawyer.
Sawyer and one other individual were released without charges. Johnson and Batiste have each been charged with four counts of assault on a first responder, disorderly conduct, and resisting official detention. Both Johnson and Batiste will be in court on Thursday, February 6th.
In a separate incident, a couple from Massachusetts is now facing charges after they assaulted officers during a domestic dispute in their home. According to WCVB, officers with the Rockland Police Department (RPD) were called to 119 Grove Street around 9:00 p.m. on Monday, February 3rd. Upon arriving on scene, police said that 36-year-old Daniel Francil Sr., told officers that his wife, 43-year-old Melissa Francil, had assaulted him.
Prosecutor Scott Warmington said, "As they were going up the stairs to the apartment, they asked if she had any weapons, he advised, 'She's just crazy, bro.'" Police said that after Melissa was handcuffed and placed under arrest for assault and two outstanding default warrants, including a pending domestic assault case, the woman and her husband began attacking the officers.
Daniel was cooperative at first, but then voiced concern that officers were being too rough with his wife. Prosecutor Jason Blanchette said, "But in an instant, a moment, they report he just flipped, he changed, he began punching officers. He punched one officer in the head or face."
Warmington added, "She also kicked one of the officers in the groin." RPD said that the situation continued to escalate to the point where officers had to use a taser on Daniel and deployed chemical agent on Melissa. The incident was captured on body-worn cameras.
RPD said a 63-year-old officer was injured and taken to a hospital to be treated. Melissa has been charged with assault and battery on a family member, assault and battery on a police officer, assault and battery on a person older than 60, which was the police officer, and resisting arrest and disorderly conduct.
Daniel was charged with two counts of assault and battery on a police officer, assault and battery on a person older than 60, which was the police officer, and resisting arrest and disorderly conduct. The attorney representing Daniel said he is a licensed drug and alcohol counselor, but is no longer sober.
Defense attorney Richard Linehan said, "They had a child, two-year-old child, just recently they gave up for adoption, just a couple of months ago, and that was one of the triggering events that got him into alcohol consumption." Melissa's defense attorney John Burke said, "She's not the driving force here in this case. The body cam doesn't depict her kicking anyone."
According to WREG, police responded to a disturbance call at Global Cafe at Crosstown Concourse around 4:00 p.m. Upon arriving on scene, an employee told police that a woman, since identified as 22-year-old Amiya Johnson, refused to leave the business when asked to.
Officers on scene also asked Johnson to leave, but she again refused. When officers attempted to arrest her, she and the man she was with, identified as 37-year-old Donald Batiste, began pushing and punching the officers. Johnson was taken into custody, but Batiste continued to resist officers. Police deployed chemical agent, to which Batiste then complied and was arrested.
MPD said that one of the officers involved was taken to Regional One Hospital to be treated for injuries to his face. When officers first responded to the call, a large fight broke out and four people were detained, one of which was Shelby County General Sessions Court Clerk Tami Sawyer.
Sawyer and one other individual were released without charges. Johnson and Batiste have each been charged with four counts of assault on a first responder, disorderly conduct, and resisting official detention. Both Johnson and Batiste will be in court on Thursday, February 6th.
In a separate incident, a couple from Massachusetts is now facing charges after they assaulted officers during a domestic dispute in their home. According to WCVB, officers with the Rockland Police Department (RPD) were called to 119 Grove Street around 9:00 p.m. on Monday, February 3rd. Upon arriving on scene, police said that 36-year-old Daniel Francil Sr., told officers that his wife, 43-year-old Melissa Francil, had assaulted him.
Prosecutor Scott Warmington said, "As they were going up the stairs to the apartment, they asked if she had any weapons, he advised, 'She's just crazy, bro.'" Police said that after Melissa was handcuffed and placed under arrest for assault and two outstanding default warrants, including a pending domestic assault case, the woman and her husband began attacking the officers.
Daniel was cooperative at first, but then voiced concern that officers were being too rough with his wife. Prosecutor Jason Blanchette said, "But in an instant, a moment, they report he just flipped, he changed, he began punching officers. He punched one officer in the head or face."
Warmington added, "She also kicked one of the officers in the groin." RPD said that the situation continued to escalate to the point where officers had to use a taser on Daniel and deployed chemical agent on Melissa. The incident was captured on body-worn cameras.
RPD said a 63-year-old officer was injured and taken to a hospital to be treated. Melissa has been charged with assault and battery on a family member, assault and battery on a police officer, assault and battery on a person older than 60, which was the police officer, and resisting arrest and disorderly conduct.
Daniel was charged with two counts of assault and battery on a police officer, assault and battery on a person older than 60, which was the police officer, and resisting arrest and disorderly conduct. The attorney representing Daniel said he is a licensed drug and alcohol counselor, but is no longer sober.
Defense attorney Richard Linehan said, "They had a child, two-year-old child, just recently they gave up for adoption, just a couple of months ago, and that was one of the triggering events that got him into alcohol consumption." Melissa's defense attorney John Burke said, "She's not the driving force here in this case. The body cam doesn't depict her kicking anyone."
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