Jury To Hear Closing Arguments In Inkster Police Beating Trial

DETROIT (WWJ/AP) - After seven days of testimony, closing arguments are next in the trial of a Detroit-area police officer whose bloody beating of a driver was captured on dashcam video.

Jurors rode in vans Tuesday to see the street in Inkster where Floyd Dent was stopped by police and punched in the head 16 times by William Melendez last January.

Melendez is charged with assault and misconduct in office. Closing arguments are set for Wednesday in Wayne County court.

The dashcam video wasn't publicly known until WDIV-TV aired it in March. Melendez was fired, and Inkster agreed to pay $1.4 million to the 58-year-old Dent.

[VIDEO: Inkster Police Dashcam Violent Arrest Of Floyd Dent]

Melendez, who is known by the nickname "Robocop," didn't testify at trial. Defense attorney James Thomas says the punches were justified because Dent was aggressive and resisting police.

Police had claimed Dent refused to stop and had cocaine in the car; although Dent claimed police planted the drugs. All charges, including cocaine possession and resisting an officer, were dismissed against Dent.

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