Two men in handcuffs.
In both arrests, Providence police officers felt the need to apply greater force over their restrained prisoner.
In the first matter, a cuffed man who repeatedly refused to get into a police cruiser drew a squirt of pepper spray. The officers moved on with their careers.
In the other matter, however, a Providence police sergeant, Joseph Hanley, has been accused of kicking and punching the detainand charged with assault.
The differences between the two situations, big and small, were the focus of lawyers on both sides of the case Thursday in District Court, Providence.
The analysis has been enriched by a collection of video captured by the “body-worn” cameras of Providence police officers. The video also includes cellphone footage captured by a woman who described herself as a “nosy” observer.