Cop who punched woman in video: 'It's not what it appears to be'

JONATHAN JOSEY, the Philadelphia police lieutenant fired for knocking a woman to the ground after last year's Puerto Rican Day parade, and the woman, Aida Guzman, saw each other again Tuesday.

The credibility of both came under fire during Josey's one-day, nonjury trial in a courtroom so packed that some had to stand, including members of his former Highway Patrol unit.

After nearly three hours of testimony, Municipal Judge Patrick Dugan said that the "compelling" arguments from both sides would require him to postpone ruling on Josey's fate until Feb. 26.

Josey, 41, a decorated 19-year department veteran, fought with his emotions and his voice cracked as he testified about the Sept. 30 clash with Guzman, which bystanders recorded on cellphones and posted to YouTube. The video was played repeatedly in court for Dugan.

Millions have seen the muscular Josey land a blow to the face of the thin mother of three that bloodied her mouth and knocked her to the pavement on 5th Street.

The fallout led Police Commissioner Charles Ramsey to fire Josey, and the District Attorney's Office charged him with simple assault, a misdemeanor. A disorderly conduct charge against Guzman was dropped.

Josey, in a gray suit and purple bow tie, testified that he thought Guzman had thrown beer on him during a wild street gathering at 5th Street and Lehigh Avenue following the annual parade.

When he approached and told her to put down the beer bottle she was holding, he said, she turned away and tried to walk off.

Fearing she would use the bottle as a weapon, Josey said, he swung at it and tried to knock it from her hand.

"I was kind of in shock," he said, under questioning by his attorney, Fortunato Perri Jr. "I didn't expect her to go down or make contact with any part of her body."

Although the video "looks disturbing," he said, "it's not what it appears to be."

Under questioning from Assistant District Attorney Sybil Murphy, Josey conceded that he never saw Guzman throw beer at him. When asked why he had said that Guzman injured her mouth when her face hit the street during the arrest, Josey said he did not see her face hit the ground, but "I would assume that's how she got injured."

Guzman, through a Spanish interpreter, said that she threw no liquid at anyone but did shoot aerosol string into the crowd.