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A routine wellness check in Concord, New Hampshire turned into a brutal beating that left a 13-year Marine Corps veteran hospitalized with multiple injuries. Now, confronted with damning body camera footage, city officials are scrambling to contain the fallout.
The Wellness Check That Went Wrong
Richard, the veteran at the center of this incident, was reportedly in perfect health when Concord police arrived at his home in February. According to his wife's account, landlords had called for the welfare check after a minor heating dispute. When police left 15 minutes later, Richard had a fractured orbital bone, broken nose, and cracked ribs.
The veteran's wife captured much of the incident on video, showing officers forcing their way into the home without a warrant while she repeatedly told them there was no problem. Throughout the recording, one officer positioned himself to block her view of what was happening to her husband in another room.
Town Manager Tries to Dodge Accountability
When investigative journalists arrived at Concord's town hall with the footage, Town Manager Carrie Kipper initially claimed she was "too busy" in a staff meeting to address police officers beating a veteran. Her tone changed quickly when reporters threatened to show the video to every resident entering city hall.
Kipper, who oversees the police department, reluctantly agreed to contact Police Chief Bradley Osgood. But her discomfort was obvious as she watched snippets of the body camera footage showing her officers tasing and beating the restrained veteran.
Police Chief Plays Word Games
When Chief Osgood finally arrived, he immediately recognized the case but refused to provide the names of officers involved. Despite being shown clear video evidence of the beating, Osgood demanded reporters file a formal public records request and wait days for information that could have been provided immediately.
The chief's evasiveness became more pronounced when reporters pointed out the obvious: if citizens witnessed police beating someone on the street, arrests would happen immediately. Yet when his own officers commit apparent crimes on camera, suddenly there's a lengthy "investigation" process.
The Cover-Up Continues
Perhaps most telling was what happened when reporters tried to file formal complaints. Despite Massachusetts law requiring police departments to accept citizen complaints, officials kept trying to redirect them through bureaucratic channels. They also made a false report claiming the journalists had entered "unauthorized secure areas" in the public town hall.
The incident follows a disturbing pattern where police use "wellness checks" as pretexts for warrantless home invasions. Richard's case is particularly egregious because his wife's video clearly shows officers manufacturing justification for violence against a cooperative veteran who posed no threat.
Questions That Demand Answers
The footage raises serious constitutional questions about the Concord Police Department's training and oversight. How does a wellness check result in a veteran being tased while handcuffed? Why did multiple officers respond to a non-emergency call? And why is an officer positioning himself to block a potential victim's view of police actions?
Chief Osgood promised an investigation, but given his evasive responses when confronted with clear video evidence, residents have little reason for confidence. The real question isn't whether these officers violated Richard's civil rights, it's whether anyone in Concord's power structure cares enough to hold them accountable.
Watch the full confrontation to see exactly how Concord officials react when forced to face the consequences of their officers' actions.
