I read both stories and neither mention drugs. I find that very suspicious because if what he had thrown down had been drugs, they would have certainly said something about it, if for no other reason but to justify the arrest.
I saw the video and was utterly appalled. Given what that kid was doing, running, there was absolutely no need for that level of violence. And I say that even if he KNEW he was being chased by a cop.
If you think that the amount of force that “officer” applied was reasonable or prudent, all I can say is I hope I never live in any city where they give people with your viewpoint guns and badges.
One theory could be that bringing up the drugs would do no good or even work against the police. "He was body slammed and made a vegetable over an ounce of pot?"
How about this --- Someone who was not stoned would have reacted better to the body slam and would not have allowed his skull to to hit the concrete. The cop did not intend to hit so hard that the kid would be injured so badly.
But cop is guilty in my book. He might be on steroids. For costing the taxpayers 10 million he should have been fired.