Reno Officer Testifies on His Beating of Suspect

Police Officer David Kinamon told a jury Friday that he was acting on the spur of the moment and had no feelings of anger toward the handcuffed man he is accused of beating.

“You don’t have time to get embarrassed or angry, you just react,” Kinamon testified under cross-examination from Deputy Dist. Atty. Karl Hall.

Kinamon is charged with one felony count of oppression under color of office. He is accused of beating George Bermeo, 31, at the Club Cal Nevada casino on Dec. 10. The incident was taped by a casino surveillance camera.

“I never got a good look at where I was throwing my blows,” Kinamon said. “At that time, I’m running off adrenaline.” He said that his perceptions had changed since watching the videotape. Kinamon grabbed Bermeo by the hair and pushed him against a wall, then struck Bermeo five to six times with “distraction blows.”