US police caught beating again

Clips from the videotape of the Jones beating

As the US federal government joins an investigation into the videotaped beating by Philadelphia police of a black suspect, police in Atlanta have been caught on film beating a drunken driving suspect.

Television news helicopters videotaped police officers, with guns drawn, pulling Marshall Dwight Studdard from his truck and then kicking and punching him while he lay on the ground.

The videotape shows Mr Studdard being beaten

The beating, which followed a 20-minute chase in busy traffic, comes on the heels of a video by a TV news crew in Philadelphia showing police officers beating a suspect after a high-speed chase.

Atlanta Police Chief Randy Johnson said on Thursday that officers said Mr Studdard, who was not injured in the incident, had resisted arrest.

"I'm not jumping on either side," he said. "Did they use too much force? I don't know."

It is unclear on the videotape whether Mr Studdard had provoked the beating.

There's not going to be a witch hunt, but there's not going to be a whitewash

Spokesperson for Philadelphia mayor

Mr Studdard was jailed on Wednesday under charges of driving under the influence, attempting to flee, reckless driving and having an open container of alcohol in his vehicle.

Police said they had been called to Mr Studdard's home earlier in the week to investigate domestic complaints.

No rush to judge

In Philadelphia, the city's police chief said they would not be hurried into making a judgement on the officers who beat black suspect Thomas Jones.

A family photo of Thomas Jones

"There are prescribed ways of doing this [investigation]. I know this is very frustrating... but that's the way it is," Police Commissioner John Timoney said.

Mr Timoney admitted that the pictures looked bad, but said the case should not be compared with the videotaped beating in Los Angeles of another black man, Rodney King, which sparked off widespread rioting in 1994.

The incident ended in a gun battle in which a policeman was slightly wounded and Mr Jones, who was driving a stolen car, was shot five times.

Mr Jones has been charged with attempted murder, among other offences.

Separate investigations into the case are also being conducted by Philadelphia city authorities and the federal government, US Attorney General Janet Reno said on Friday.

Philadelphia police were seen to kick and punch Mr Jones

The city's Mayor, John F Street, informed local business leaders of the situation on Friday as black leaders appealed for calm.

Local leaders are concerned about the image of the city, which is soon to host a Republican Congress.

Mr Street's chief-of-staff, Stephanie Franklin-Suber, promised a fair investigation.

"There's not going to be a witch hunt, but there's not going to be a whitewash," she said.