LAPD Officer Who Repeatedly Punched Man Charged with Assault

An LAPD cop who was caught on video giving a man a beating earlier this year is now going to court … he’s been charged with assault by the District Attorney.

Los Angeles County D.A. Jackie Lacey announced the charge Tuesday against Officer Frank Hernandez — who video shows pummeled a man with his fists this past April out in Boyle Heights.  As we reported, the officer was responding to a call for trespass. Hernandez now faces one count of felony assault under color of authority.

At the time, Hernandez and his partner encountered the guy after seeing him on a lot he allegedly wasn’t supposed to be on — but after refusing to leave the area entirely on the officers’ orders, things got heated … and eventually, they came to blows.

According to the D.A., Hernandez is accused of repeatedly punching the man over a dozen times over the head, neck and body. The D.A. calls it “a disturbing case of the illegal use of force at the hands of a police officer. In this case, we believe the force was neither legally necessary nor reasonable.”