Man injured by Calgary police officers says he hopes they plead guilty to assault

The man who was badly injured by Calgary police officers during an arrest saidhe hopes they plead guilty as lawyers for the three accused appeared in court on Wednesday.

The officers are all charged with assault causing bodily harm andhave all been suspended from CPS.

"I hope they plead guilty," said Clayton Prince."I'm just glad the cops areoffthe force so they can't do that to anyone else."

The Crown decided to proceed summarily meaning if the men are convicted, thesentences are less than proceeding by indictment.

• 3 Calgary police officers charged with assault in violent arrest caught on video

The officersare accused of assaulting Prince, 34, in July during an arrest, leaving himwith a collapsed lung and broken ribs.

Prince, who is from High Level, Alta.,said he was in Calgaryto attend a music festival.

He says he had just smoked marijuana when police pulled him over in a parking lot on Macleod Trailand was paranoid he would get in trouble so when policepulled up behind him in a parking lot, he ran from his car while officers chased him.

'They kept hitting me'

"He drew hisgun and I got down to ground right away with my hands behind my head," said Prince. "Oneofficer got to me and started hitting me then a couple other officersgot there and they were all hitting me, they kept saying quitresisting."

Prince said he was on the ground, immobilized and was not resisting.

"They kept hitting me for a coupleminutes then they handcuffed me, picked me up and took me to the cop truckwhere they threw me insideand smashed my lip open."

"l told them I couldn't breathe," said Prince. "They didn't believe me."

Const. JamesOthen, 38,faces four charges including assault causing bodily harm, assault with a weapon and two counts of public mischief,Const. KevinHumfrey, 33, is charged withassault causing bodily harm and two counts of public mischief andConst. MichaelSandalack, 31,faces a charge of assault causing bodily harm.

Other officers discover dashcam video

The arrest took place on July 30after an officer attempted a traffic stop on a white SUVin a parking lot around the6700 block ofMacleodTrail South.

Prince ran from his carand a short chase ensued before he gave up and was arrested.

The officers only came under investigation after video from a policedashcamsurfaced that contradictedtheir accounts of the incident.

Other Calgary Police Service officers flagged the video to their supervisors, according to the Alberta Serious Incident Response Team.

'Best interest of justice'

The mischiefcharges relate to false statements two officers are alleged to have given that led to Clayton Prince being charged with resisting arrest. That charge against Prince was later stayed, along with a charge for possession of a small amount of marijuana.

The Edmonton Crown's office is prosecuting thecase to avoid conflict but would not comment on the decision to proceed summarily.

"I have an obligation to make decisions that are in the best interest of justice," said Jim Stewart. "I won't comment on the exercise of my discretion."

The suspended officers were not in court.

The matter is back before a judge on Nov. 10.