Nutter apologizes to woman hit by city cop on viral video

MAYOR NUTTER on Thursday apologized profusely to the Chester woman who was captured on video being "cold-cocked," in Nutter's words, by veteran cop Lt. Jonathan D. Josey II during a Puerto Rican Day celebration in North Philadelphia.

"I have watched it 20 times, and every time I look at it, I am appalled, I am sickened and I'm ashamed on behalf of the good men and women of the Philadelphia Police Department," Nutter said of the video of the infamous punch, which went viral within 24 hours of the incident.

"The conduct seen on this video is particularly appalling and not the kind of conduct the Philadelphia Police Department expects from anyone, especially anyone in a supervisory position," Nutter added.

At a news conference Thursday afternoon, flanked by Police Commissioner Charles Ramsey and other city officials, Nutter apologized to Aida Guzman, 39, who was left with a fat lip and bumps and bruises after the cop's bloody attack.

"I want to extend my personal and deepest apology to Ms. Guzman," Nutter said. "She was injured and humiliated at the hands of someone who knows better or should have known better."

On Wednesday, the District Attorney's Office said that it would drop a disorderly conduct charge filed against Guzman when she was arrested after the blow, and Ramsey announced that Josey would be suspended for 30 days with intent to dismiss.

Ramsey said that the department's investigation into the incident would be submitted to the D.A.'s office next week to be reviewed for criminal charges.

When asked whether Josey's termination and the city's response were a result of the public outcry about the video - which had about 1.4 million views on YouTube as of Thursday night - Nutter said that city officials themselves were shocked by it.

"We're all outraged," he said.