Floyd Dent describes beating by Inkster cop on witness stand

Floyd Dent was left bloody and bruised, beaten by an Inkster cop during a traffic stop.

Most have seen the dash cam video and now a jury must decide whether the ex-officer caught on camera was doing his job or committing a crime.

On day two of the William Melendez trial and now it's Floyd Dent's turn to testify about that night describing his memories of his beating  - until he passed out.

"Melendez started beating me in the head, I told him, I was begging him to stop, 'I can't breathe,'" Dent said. "He was choking me so hard I couldn't catch my breath."

Melendez is on trial for the January beating of Dent caught on dashcam video. He is charged with felony assault and misconduct in office.

Dent says when he was pulled over and originally arrested for drug possession, he stopped and opened his door and put his arms out.

Dent say he wanted to show police he didn't have a weapon.

"The guy with the gun told me 'Get out of the car or I'll blow your f-ing head off,'" Dent said.

While Dent says he has trouble remembering and processing information because of the beating, the defense argued his account of what happened has greatly changed.

"Did you make the statement on television that you put your hands out of the window," asked an attorney.

“I never said that on television," Dent said.

While the defense says Dent was seen weaving through traffic, prosecutors say Dent was not on drugs or drinking that night.

Attorney: "Would you agree it took you awhile to pull over,"

"Yes, I was dodging potholes, plus I wanted to get into the light," Dent said.

But the defense also arguing that Dent is seen resisting his arrest in the video.  Dent says he never struggled.

Attorney: "Did you bite officer Melendez?"

Floyd: "I never bit him."

Attorney: "Did he tell you stop biting before he hit you in the head?"

Floyd: "I never bit him."

An Inkster auxiliary officer on scene that night also testified that Dent threatened to kill the officers.

Prosecutors say that the officer, John Zieleniewski, is biased, referencing racist text messages about Dent.

Attorney: "Haven't you called him a piece of (expletive)?"

"I might have,"  Zieleniewski said.

The trial will resume Monday morning; the prosecution will call three or four more witnesses to testify.