AG's Office Investigating 3 Officers Accused of Brutality

Seabrook Police Chief Lee Bitomske has made the decision to suspend another member of his department as part of an investigation into a video depicting police brutality within his station, bringing the total number of officers being investigated to three.

Town Manager Bill Manzi said Bitomske made the decision Tuesday afternoon to "add" another officer to the investigation after "further review" of the video and incident, which occurred on Nov. 11, 2009, but first came to light in the public on Monday after the alleged victim posted surveillance video of the alleged assault on YouTube.

A member of the New Hampshire Attorney General Office's has reportedly told the Union Leader that the office would also investigate the matter and possibly pursue criminal charges.

The video shows Mike "MJB" Bergeron Jr., an aspiring Seabrook rapper in his early 20s, being slammed face-first into a cinderblock wall before being pepper-sprayed by a group of Seabrook police officers who had him in custody on a driving while intoxicated charge.

Manzi said the town still wouldn't release the name of the officers on Tuesday, although he said he expects the names to be released at some point Wednesday.

"All we want to make sure is that the administrative notification to them is complete [before their names are released]," said Manzi, who has been chosen by the Seabrook Board of Selectmen and the town's Police Department as the spokesperson for the investigation.

Manzi declined to say whether any other officers — at least four are pictured in the video — would be added to the investigation because the town wants to "leave" the "scope" of the investigation "open."

"The chief will investigate both the incident... and anything else in relation to the incident," said Manzi. "I do not want to limit the scope or say it will be expanded. We will go where the investigation takes us."

Manzi also said he expects the police chief to make an official statement and assume the spokesperson duties in the near future. He also said there is a possibility that outside agencies "might be reviewing" the incident and may be involved in the investigation at some point.

Bergeron hasn't returned requests for comment from Patch.

He claims in his YouTube post that he may seek a lawsuit against the police department because he suffered lasting injuries during the incident:

"charged with a dwi and tried explaining that I wasn't drunk and they could be out catching actual criminals. then after being in the cell for a while waiing for a bail bonds man I was taken out and brought in the booking room to call for a ride. after calling a ride I was told I could take my phone that I called from and my wallet. as soon as I greabbed my wallet from the table he officer with the glasses came at me saying he never told me I could take my stuff and choked me against the wall then tried to grab the wallet from my pocket. once he got the wallet and my phone this is what happened. there was no lawsuit made due to the fact I found a lawyer and the lawyer took the tapes and disappeared for 2 years until I finally tracked him down and go it back but now I think its to late to do anything with it even though I have a permanent lump on the back of my head chipped teeth and brain injuries but talking to a lawyer soon well see what happens."

Bergeron's video is posted above, and more details about the incident can be found here.