Witnesses testify in case of Detroit officer punching naked woman at hospital

DETROIT (FOX 2) - A Detroit Police Officer is on leave with pay after he was recorded  punching a woman with mental illness at Detroit Receiving hospital.

More details were revealed Wednesday when a Detroit police corporal seen punching a naked, mentally ill woman at Detroit Receiving Hospital appeared in court for a hearing.

Corporal Dewayne Jones is on leave with pay after the cell phone video surfaced of the incident that happened in August. In court it was revealed that Jones and his partner Stacey Taylor went to pick up the woman after they got a call that she was at Grand River and Trumbull naked.

RELATED: Detroit Police Officer punches naked woman inside Detroit Receiving HospitalTaylor's body cam footage was played, though the judge said FOX 2 was not permitted to air it. 

"She stood up, clenched fist. Her body stance was aggressive. She was spitting, biting," Taylor said.

Before the woman was punched, witnesses said she bit and spit on hospital staff, and spit on Jones before he pummeled her. The defense suggested Jones had to in order to get her under control The Detroit Receiving Hospital officer who said the woman bit him said after Jones used the hard strikes, she was not subdued and was still combative. 

Prosecutors charged the nearly 20-year veteran of the force with misconduct in office, a felony, and assault and battery, a 93-day misdemeanor. Prosecutors asked if the woman looked like she was suffering from mental health issues.

RELATED: Detroit police chief concerned about video showing officer punching naked woman"Not at first ... later on when she started being belligerent ... with the staff and everything, cussing everybody out," that Detroit Receiving Hospital officer said.

Jones' partner testified the woman has a history of mental illness. She had been picked up before for allegedly for trying to light her garage on fire. 

The preliminary exam is scheduled to continue Jan. 10.