This Tape Just Got 5 Officers in Birmingham, AL Fired

This may be the craziest video you watch all week. Watch as CNN’s Rick Sanchez walks us through this tape where a suspect Anthony Warren is on the run from police in his car, hits a police officer trying to put out a spike strip and finally flips his car causing him to fly out the window. When officers get to the scene they begin pummeling him while he’s unconscious, according to news sources:

A group of Birmingham police officers beat an already-unconscious suspect with fists, feet and a billy club, a battering caught on videotape until a police officer turned off the patrol car camera. Authorities believe the video, taken in January 2008 after a chase by several area law enforcement agencies ended when the fleeing suspect’s van flipped, has been seen by numerous Birmingham officers and as many as a half-dozen supervisors over the past year.

But top city and police officials weren’t made aware of the taped beating until they were contacted by the district attorney’s office three months ago. In fact, investigators say, the suspect, Anthony Warren, didn’t even know he’d been beaten until the tape surfaced in March. Warren was ejected from the vehicle and knocked unconscious, and thought all of his injuries were sustained in the wreck.

At the time of his arrest and beating, Warren, of Vestavia Hills, had a string of felony arrests and convictions dating back to 1989 for crimes including theft, receiving stolen property and escape. UAB Hospital officials said Warren was released from the hospital five days after the incident.

He was booked into the Jefferson County Jail on Jan. 28, with his bond set at $1 million. Warren was charged with attempted murder as a result of the chase but pleaded guilty in March 2009 to first-degree assault. He was sentenced to 20 years in prison.

We feel like we’re going to be hearing a lot about this case so let us know what you think after you watch the video