The woman seen on surveillance footage being shoved and kicked by running back Kareem Hunt pleaded with Cleveland police officers to watch the feed from the security cameras.
“Watch the video tapes,” the victim said, in a conversation recorded by an officer's bodycam after the February incident in the hallway of the The Metropolitan at the 9 hotel. "I would like to see if that's possible."
As the NFL faced increased criticism for not obtaining the video that led to Hunt's release by the Kanas City Chiefs, Cleveland Police Department spokesperson Jennifer Ciaccia told USA TODAY Sports that no one within the department – even those who responded in the early morning hours on Feb. 10 – had viewed the video before TMZ posted it Friday.
The victim was recorded telling police she wanted Hunt to be arrested, and that viewing the tape potentially could have led to an arrest. USA TODAY Sports does not name victims of violence.
“Quite frankly, they didn't need the video to make an arrest,” former state and federal prosecutor David S. Weinstein told USA TODAY Sports. “However, if they had seen the video, they would either have had to make an arrest or write a report articulating why they didn't make an arrest.”
Weinstein, a partner at the firm Hinshaw & Culbertson in Miami, said Hunt could still be charged for misdemeanor assault by the city attorney. Messages left with city government media relations staffers by USA TODAY Sports were not returned.
Hunt was not arrested that night, and there’s no record that the woman pursued a misdemeanor assault charge in municipal court.
“The victim would be referred to the prosecutor to file charges,” Ciaccia said in an email. “Detectives only follow up on felonies. This is a misdemeanor.”
The police reports generated that night noted "surveillance available upon request,” and the NFL said in a statement to USA TODAY Sports and other outlets that the league “made multiple attempts to obtain the video” and “contacted the Cleveland Police Department, which did not provide the NFL any video.”
The NFL said in its statement that league representatives also were unable to obtain the video from management of The Metropolitan at the 9 hotel.
Hunt, who led the league in rushing last season and had been a key part of the Chiefs' success this season, was placed on the commissioner’s exempt list hours after the video surfaced Friday. Minutes after the NFL's decision — which prevents Hunt from practicing or playing in games — the Chiefs released him.
The Chiefs said in a statement that he misled the team about what occurred.
“Kareem was not truthful in those discussions,” the statement read. “The video released today confirms that fact. We are releasing Kareem immediately."
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