HUNTSVILLE, AL (WAFF) -
The Huntsville City Council voted Thursday night to give a police officer his job back after he was fired due to two incidents in 2011.
The board voted 3-2 in favor of Officer Phillip Lee, Jr., after he appealed the termination decision of an internal investigation of the Huntsville Police Department.
Huntsville Police said Lee was fired after he allegedly used excessive force during two separate incidents last year, ultimately violating department policy. Lee's attorney met with the City Council last week to proclaim his innocence, but the board needed more time to review the footage before making a final decision.
Newly released video shows where Lee was involved in the two separate incidents.
In one video, released by Huntsville Police, it shows Officer Lee pulling over one car for a usual traffic stop in a local neighborhood on December 13, 2011. The video shows where Lee reportedly used excessive force to remove Edith Stewart, who was driving, from the car.
Stewart claimed the officer hurt her, subsequently injuring her face, arm and knee. Stewart later filed a lawsuit against the City of Huntsville, settling the case for $25,000.
In a separate incident on October 24, 2011, Lee and another police officer were accused of using excessive force on a man after arresting him. In another video released, an officer could be heard telling the suspect to stop kicking him. Lee claimed he was only trying to de-escalate the situation.
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The Huntsville City Council voted Thursday night to give a police officer his job back after he was fired due to two incidents in 2011.
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