Richard Abadie is the Eunice Police officer caught on video choking a handcuffed man during a routine traffic stop, and according to new information about his past transgressions, it's a wonder he's still carrying a badge.
Richard Abadie is the Eunice Police officer caught on video choking a handcuffed man during a routine traffic stop, and according to new information about his past transgressions, it's a wonder he's still carrying a badge.
The video in question was taken from the dashboard cam of Abadie's cruiser and surfaced Nov. 12 on Youtube. In the video, Abadie is seen losing his cool in the midst of a routine traffic stop, first knocking down the driver after he allegedly stashed contraband in his mouth. Later, as the driver attempts to deny the claim, Abadie goes berserk again, grabbing the handcuffed man by the throat and slamming him against the trunk of his vehicle.
According to a report by Eunice Today, which identifies Abadie as the officer seen in the Youtube video, his name came up before the Eunice City Council in recent months when residents raised concerns about his overly aggressive approach to law enforcement, especially in his treatment of minorities. Abadie's choking victim, it's worth noting, also was a black man, who's only discretion, as witnessed in the video, is attempting to deny the officer's claim that he'd swallowed contraband after exiting his vehicle.
It's a surprise Abadie was even allowed to continue serving as a law enforcement officer considering the reasons behind his departure from the Breaux Bridge Police Department in 2009. Abadie, shortly after resigning his post with the Breaux Bridge PD, was arrested in August 2009 on charges of indecent behavior with a juvenile and computer-aided solicitation of a minor. The alleged victim eventually withdrew the complaint and charges were dropped, yet, based on the recent Youtube posting, and his reputation for aggressive treatment of minorities, Abadie's ability to effectively uphold justice is questionable at best. According to Eunice resident Alex Lege - known as the "cop watcher" for his videotaping of local police in the line of duty - Abadie was seen on the job Friday morning engaged in another routine traffic stop.
A protest calling for Abadie's termination is slated for 4 p.m. on Friday, Nov. 22, outside the Eunice PD. Click here for more information.