Black Man Seen Beaten by St. Louis Police on Video Starts Jail Sentence: Locked Up for Smoking Weed
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A Black man who led police on a wild chase Jan. 30 that ended in a televised encounter with four police officers was taken from a courtroom in handcuffs at 10:35 a.m. today to begin a three-year prison sentence. The prison sentence for Edmon Burns, 33, of north St. Louis County, is unrelated to the chase and alleged beating that a KTVI-Fox helicopter cameraman captured on video. On March 23, Burns admitted before St. Louis County Circuit Judge John Ross that he had violated conditions of his probation by using marijuana between Dec. 31 and Jan. 13. In revoking probation, Ross sentenced Burns today to a year in jail on the non-support charge, a year in custody for theft and three years on the escape charge. The judge ran the charges concurrently. The hearing lasted five minutes. Other than traffic violations, authorities have yet to charge Burns - or anyone else -- in the morning rush hour chase on Jan. 30 that ended with television video showing three Maplewood and one St. Louis police officer punching and kicking Burns. An FBI investigation is continuing. Burns' attorney, Andrew Hale, said a civil suit Burns is contemplating against authorities is also awaiting the results of the FBI probe. [more]
