I’m not sure Rand Paul is ready to be President but he does have a good grasp of right and wrong. If you are restraining someone to the point that they tell you repeatedly they cannot breathe then its time to forget your marching orders and do what’s right. Falling back on “they told me to do it” is BS. The penalty for selling loosies should not be death on the sidewalk.
I think the over-reaction started when the officer jumped on the guy’s back. It simply wasn’t necessary.
Issue a citation, for pete’s sake. Tell him to appear in court. But loose cigarettes aren’t a violent crime, so violence is not even a remotely justifiable response.