Robert Davis

Robert Davis (born 1941) is a retired elementary school teacher and resident of New Orleans who was detained, arrested, and beaten by four police officers on October 8, 2005, on suspicion of public intoxication. Davis has denied intoxication, but he resisted arrest by not allowing himself to be handcuffed and was beaten, which was filmed by the members of the Associated Press. A fifth officer was charged with assaulting an Associated Press producer. Incident Davis is an African American and the two officers who beat him (while two others held him down) are white, adding to the controversy of this case. Davis, who was charged with public intoxication, resisting arrest, battery, and public intimidation, pleaded not guilty on October 12, 2005. The officers have also been charged with battery and were accused of using extreme force. Regarding the charge of public intoxication, Davis said, "I haven't had a drink in 25 years." Davis said he returned to view and possibly rebuild his family's six properties that were destroyed by Hurricane Katrina. He went out during the night to buy cigarettes in the French Quarter and asked a mounted officer when a curfew would go into effect that night.