An Arizona State University student and cheerleader is facing two misdemeanor charges months after a controversial late-night arrest in Tempe that was captured on video and has since fueled accusations of excessive force.
Eryn Bonner, 21, was arrested around 1:45 a.m. on July 19 along Mill Avenue in Tempe.
Bonner, an ASU senior and member of the university’s stunt team, now faces misdemeanor charges of disorderly conduct and hindering or interfering with police.
The case has drawn attention because video from the encounter appears to show a Tempe police officer pushing Bonner, taking her to the ground and striking her during a struggle.
Her attorney, Benjamin Taylor, says the force used against her was excessive and alleges that one officer also touched her inappropriately during the arrest.
Tempe police have strongly disputed that characterization.
According to police reports, officers were trying to break up a fight and detain people involved when Bonner allegedly approached and interfered.
Police say she was repeatedly told to step back but continued moving toward officers.
According to the police account, Bonner attempted to pull an officer away while police were dealing with another person.
An officer then pushed her backward and attempted to detain her, police said.
Authorities allege Bonner resisted, flailed her arms and later struck an officer in the face several times.
Police say the officer then struck Bonner in the face while attempting to gain control of the situation before another officer arrived to help place her in handcuffs.
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Taylor gives a very different account.
He says Bonner had been out with her boyfriend and became frightened after seeing officers take him to the ground.
According to Taylor, Bonner was trying to tell police that her boyfriend had done nothing wrong when an officer confronted her.
Taylor alleges the officer pushed Bonner into a police bicycle, took her to the ground and struck her in the face.
He also alleges the officer touched her buttocks during the encounter.
Bonner was left with visible bruising around her eyes and face after the arrest.
Taylor says she remained in jail for nearly 24 hours before being released and later sought medical treatment.
The attorney says the experience has left her emotionally shaken.
The criminal case has taken several turns since July.
Tempe police initially recommended more serious felony charges, including aggravated assault on an officer and resisting arrest.
The Maricopa County Attorney’s Office later declined to pursue those felony charges, citing insufficient likelihood of conviction.
The matter was then referred back to Tempe.
City prosecutors ultimately filed the current misdemeanor charges of disorderly conduct and hindering or interfering with police.
Bonner has pleaded not guilty.
Taylor has accused the city of retaliating against his client after she raised allegations about the officer’s conduct.
He argues that the misdemeanor charges were filed only after Bonner and her legal team began publicly challenging the arrest and discussing possible civil action.
Those retaliation claims have not been established.
The Tempe Officers Association has pushed back against Taylor’s allegations and says the complete body-camera and surveillance footage provides a different picture from shorter clips that circulated online.
The police union says Bonner repeatedly ignored officers’ commands and physically struck an officer during the encounter.
It has also defended the decision to pursue charges and said the department’s internal review should be allowed to proceed based on the full evidence.
Taylor, meanwhile, has called for an independent investigation into the case and has criticized the way Tempe is handling its internal review.
The arrest has prompted public discussion in Tempe, with some residents speaking at City Council meetings and questioning whether the force used against Bonner was justified.
Tempe police previously released edited body-camera and surveillance footage from the incident after the arrest gained attention on social media.
The department has said the original viral clip showed only part of what officers described as a rapidly developing confrontation.
Bonner’s next pretrial conference is scheduled for Nov. 4 in Tempe City Court.
The misdemeanor charges remain pending, and no court has determined whether Bonner committed the offenses alleged by prosecutors.
At the same time, the internal review of the officers’ actions has remained separate from the criminal case, leaving both the prosecution and the allegations of police misconduct unresolved.
When will people learn that when police get involved, DO NOT interfere!!
Blacks always think they should be allowed to do whatever they want, and any response to their bad behavior is excessive force. Maybe stop being a neusance and behave, you POS.
Well said.