The incident happened back in March, 2013.
The Philadelphia District Attorney's Office said Officer Kevin Corcoran, 33, was on patrol near 13th and Lombard around 2 a.m. when he encountered a group of people on the sidewalk.
One of the people in that group remarked that Corcoran made an illegal turn, investigators said, so Corcoran drove up next to the group and got out of the car.
Corcoran began yelling at the group, investigators said, as bystanders began recording with their cell phones. Corcoran then allegedly slapped a cell phone out of the hand of Roderick King, of Lansdale,while shouting an obscenity.
Investigators say King began backing up, with his hands out and that's when Corcoran grabbed him by the chest, threw him up against the patrol car, handcuffed him and threw him in the patrol car.
King asked why he was being arrested, investigators said, and Corcoran allegedly told him it was for public intoxication. The DA said there was no evidence that King was intoxicated.
In addition, the DA said, Corcoran was driving in the opposite direction of the 17th Police District, where he was assigned.
King then allegedly told Corcoran he was a veteran of Operation Iraqi Freedom.
It was at that point Corcoran allegedly took King to 13th and Rodman, uncuffed him, and let him go without charges.
Corcoran, a 9 year veteran of the force, surrendered to Internal Affairs on Wednesday morning.
Philadelphia Police Commissioner Charles Ramsey has suspended Corcoran for thirty days with the intent to dismiss.
King has filed a civil-rights lawsuit seeking more than $1 million in damages.
