Charges: Man posted video of deadly beating online to taunt victim's family
MINNEAPOLIS (FOX 9) - A man is facing charges for a deadly beating in Minneapolis that was recorded and posted on Facebook last month.
Nineteen-year-old Emmanuel Davis is charged with murder for the violent attack that happened just over a month ago on March 6. He was taken into custody last month by Minneapolis police, about two weeks after the attack.
According to the criminal complaint, police believe Davis used his girlfriend to lure the victim into an ambush.
Police learned of the attack on March 6 after being alerted by a family member of the victim who said they were sent a video showing her family member being violently attacked. According to the charges, the victim appears to be unconscious already when the video begins. In the video, police say a man is seen standing over the victim and removing a cell phone from the victim's coat pocket. The charges state the man then starts stomping the victim, kicking him in the head and neck – while he is already knocked out.
Before he starts stomping the victim, police say the suspect says "where yo pipe at?" During the beating, officers say a girl's voice can be heard laughing in the background. The video was then posted to the victim's Facebook page, according to police.
After calling around to hospitals, police say they were able to track down the victim, who was unresponsive with severe head trauma at a local hospital. The died days later from his injuries, police said. Police say, when the video was posted on Facebook, it included a tag to a Facebook page connected to Davis.
Police interviewed Davis, who they say admitted to attacking the victim and stealing the victim's phone to send videos and messages to other people to "f--- with them." He also admitted to using his girlfriend to ambush the victim, police said.
According to the criminal complaint, Davis said he only planned to "stomp on his a--, f--- his a-- up for a little bit." He is now facing a murder charge. According to the charges, the state is planning to seek an upward departure for punishment, if Davis is convicted in the case, due to the "particular cruelty shown to [the victim] and his family."
Police say Davis is already on extended juvenile probation for two previous aggravated robberies. It's unclear if his girlfriend, who police say is a minor, is facing charges.
Davis was being held at the Hennepin County Jail but was transferred to the Juvenile Detention Center, jail records show.