Video shows Arizona cop's violent attack on black professor who got charged with assault

An English professor at Arizona State University stands charged with assault and other violations after she was body-slammed to the ground by a campus police officer over a jaywalking incident.

Think Progress reported on the case of Dr. Ersula Ore and the new video of the May 20 incident that was released on Friday.

Ore was trying to walk across campus to class on the morning of May 20 when she crossed in the middle of a street to avoid construction taking place at the intersection. ASU Police Officer Stewart Ferrin stopped her and demanded to see Ore's identification.

"Are you serious?" asked Ore, incredulous.

"Yes, I’m serious. That is the law. If you don’t understand the law I’m explaining the law to you," said Ferrin.

Ore responded, "I never once saw a single solitary individual get pulled over by a cop for walking across a street on a campus, in a campus location. Everybody has been doing this because it is all obstructed. That’s the reason why. But you stop me in the middle of the street to pull me over and ask me, ‘Do you know what this is? This is a street.’"

Ferrin then became aggressive with Ore, slamming her to the ground and putting her in handcuffs with the assistance of another officer. Ore's dress came undone during the scuffle and her body was exposed to passersby, some of whom called 911 to report that officers were getting "way too aggressive" with a pedestrian.

Ferrin claims that Ore kicked him in the shin after he threw her to the pavement. Ore is being charged with assaulting a police officer, resisting arrest, refusing to provide identification when requested to do so by an officer, and obstructing a highway or public thoroughfare.

Ore has retained attorney Alane Roby and said that she intends to fight the charges every step of the way.

Arizona State officials say that they have reviewed the video and found "nothing inappropriate" in the officers' behavior.

Watch video of the confrontation, embedded below:

[image of angry cop in riot gear via Shutterstock.com]