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Fired Miami Gardens officer accused of police brutality walks out of jail

MIAMI-DADE COUNTY, Fla. – Jordy Yanes Martel, the fired Miami Gardens officer who is accused of police brutality, was quiet as he walked out of a Miami-Dade County jail on Thursday night and into a waiting car.

Martel faces two counts of official misconduct and four counts of battery. A woman’s cellphone video showed him pulling Safiya Satchell out of her car.

Her friend, who was a passenger in the car, started filming with her cellphone when Martel got aggressive. He allegedly used his leg to cause her to fall.

The video shows him placing his knee on her neck and shooting her with a Taser.

“We believe a review of the video reflects that Martel allegedly was the aggressor,” Miami-Dade State Attorney Katherine Fernandez Rundle said during a news conference to announce the charges against Martel on Thursday.

The incident with Martel and Satchell, 33, occurred while he was wearing his Miami Gardens Police Department uniform on Jan. 14 outside of Tootsie’s Cabaret. He responded after she was accused of being “disrespectful,” according to the arrest report.

This isn’t Martel’s only case over alleged excessive use of force. The department hired him in October 2018.

Before Fernandez Rundle’s announcement, Miami Gardens Police Chief Delma Noel-Pratt had already decided to fire Martel. Another video showed the beating of a witness at a gas station in March.

“This officer had options,” Noel-Pratt said. “He could have made other choices, but he didn’t choose that.”

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About the Authors
Liane Morejon headshot

Liane Morejon is an Emmy-winning reporter who joined the Local 10 News family in January 2010. Born and raised in Coral Gables, Liane has a unique perspective on covering news in her own backyard.

Andrea Torres headshot

The Emmy Award-winning journalist joined the Local 10 News team in 2013. She wrote for the Miami Herald for more than 9 years and won a Green Eyeshade Award.

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