Ronald Haley retained to represent family of teen caught on video being punched by Lafayette Police Officer

LAFAYETTE, La. (KLFY) The family of a teen seen on video being punched repeatedly by a Lafayette Police Officer has retained Baton Rouge based attorney Ronald Haley, who also represents the family of Lafayette fatal shooting victim Trayford Pellerin.

Haley confirmed with News 10 that he has been retained by the Celestine Family and will represent twin brothers who were ‘brutalized and assaulted by Lafayette Police.’

The incident happened just after 10 p.m. Saturday, when Lafayette Police confirmed with KLFY that officers were responding to reports of a male showing kids a gun in the 3200 block of Ambassador Caffery Parkway.

Police now say that once on scene no weapon was located.

In a widely shared video, the incident then took a turn when a Lafayette police officer allegedly pushed, threw on the ground and repeatedly punched a 16-year-old male as he attempted to make an arrest.

The officer involved in the incident has been placed on administrative leave.

Two other officers have been pulled from regular duty pending additional investigative information, police said.

The teen was charged with resisting an officer, battery on a police officer and interfering with the duties of a police officer.

In part of his decision to accept the case, Haley said he has recently learned that “these boys have been targets for months and that last night may NOT have been a random encounter with the police.”