Report: New witness in Benson arrest

The Chicago Tribune reports that a new witness has emerged in the arrest at Lake Travis of Cedric Benson, the former University of Texas standout now with the Chicago Bears. Here is an excerpt:

A witness emerged Thursday to support Benson’s claim that he was mistreated at nearby Emerald Point Marina on Saturday night.

Toby Patch claims he saw police “manhandling” Benson after taking him off the boat. Patch was not one of the 15 people on the boat.

“As they were taking him up the dock, they stopped. He said, `I am fine, I can continue walking,’ and they put their legs behind his knees and knocked him over his knees and started hog-carrying him,” Patch told WXAN-TV in Austin.

Near the parking area, Patch says the treatment of Benson worsened.

“They ended up — I don’t know why — but laid him on his back, I heard him say, `Please don’t pepper-spray me, please don’t pepper-spray me,”’ Patch said. ”It was uncalled for, it was ludicrous, no point for it.“

Patch’s version sounded similar to the account Elizabeth Cartwright, who was on the boat, gave the ChicagoTribune on Tuesday night. She called her father, Jeff, to urge him to call 911 because she feared her cell-phone battery would run out before she could describe the incident to a dispatcher.

Benson is in Chicago and has not commented since proclaiming his innocence Sunday night and saying police mistreated him. He is considering a lawsuit.