Police Union Defends Philadelphia Cop Who Punched Woman

Oct. 4, 2012 — -- A police union is coming to the defense of the Philadelphia cop who has been targeted for dismissal after he was caught on video punching a woman in the face.

It was originally announced that Lt. Jonathan Josey would be suspended for a month pending an Internal Affairs investigation. But less than two days later, Police Commissioner Charles Ramsey said he was taking "Commissioner's Direct Action" against Josey and that the officer would be dismissed.

A video posted on YouTube shows Josey punching a woman in the face and knocking her to the ground before she is led off bloodied and handcuffed.

The Fraternal Order of Police in Philadelphia is angered with the decision and how quickly it was made.

"I think it stinks," John McNesby, president of the Fraternal Order of Police in Philadelphia, told ABC News' Philadelphia station WPVI. "It sends a bad message to the police out there on the streets."

The Fraternal Order of Police is a U.S. labor union made up of law enforcement officers.

McNesby said that it remains unclear what happened in the moments leading up to the punch.

"The investigation wasn't even complete," he said.

McNesby said the union plans to fight the decision and he expects Josey to be reinstated, according to WPVI.

The woman who was punched, Aida Gusman, is pleased with the decision to fire Josey.

"We never asked for the officer to be let go, but we do agree with the decision," Gusman's attorney Enrique Latoison told ABCNews.com. "This one officer's actions have made the whole police department look bad. We do recognize the fact, from seeing the video, that he was the only officer that did what he did. He acted alone."

Latoison said that Gusman is cooperating with police and will be meeting with the department of Internal Affairs today as the investigation into the incident proceeds.

The Philadelphia District Attorney's Office said on Wednesday that it would be dropping the disorderly conduct charge against Gusman.

Gusman denied throwing anything at police and said she did not know why she was punched.

"I'm 40 years old. I don't have time to play games like that," Gusman told WPVI earlier in the week. In addition to her facial injury, she has cuts and bruises on her arm and hand.

The video was taken at Sunday's Puerto Rican Day Parade.

The video shows a crowd of blue-shirted police officers standing in the middle of a street, around a car. Someone on the left appears to throw something resembling silly string or a liquid on the cops. An officer in a white shirt rushes out of the crowd and punches Gusman in the face and then hit her in the back of the head.

She fellsto the ground where two officers apprehended her and led her off. As she passed the camera, blood can be seen streaming down her face.

Josey, 39, has had 13 complaints made against him over his career, ranging from allegations of verbal abuse to physical abuse.