It doesn’t really matter if the man whose videotaped beating at the hands of New Orleans police is guilty of being drunk in public. Or of resisting arrest. Or of any of the other charges he faces.

He didn’t deserve what happened to him.

Robert Davis, a 64-year-old retired teacher, pleaded not guilty Wednesday to charges of public intoxication, resisting arrest, battery on a police officer and public intimidation. His lawyer says the charges are baseless; a trial has been set for Jan. 18.

An Associated Press crew happened to tape the incident when Davis was arrested last weekend. The videotape shows clearly what happened: a beat-down.

Davis was left on the sidewalk in a pool of his own blood. Two officers have been charged with battery in the incident. A third has been charged with battery for grabbing and shoving an AP producer. All three have pleaded not guilty.

The New Orleans Police Department has been under a tremendous strain since hurricanes Katrina and Rita wrecked the city. The last thing it needed was video evidence of police brutality.

Davis’ lawyer says his client will file a civil suit against the city.

In a city struggling to rebuild, devastated by nature and facing an economic and environmental collapse, the last thing needed is for the people to turn against the public servants who are supposed to protect them. There’s already enough mistrust after the bungling way federal, state and local government responded to the flooding that left much of the city under water.

The city has been quick to react, suspending the officers and launching an investigation.

We will never know what would have happened to Davis and the officers involved if journalists hadn’t been on the scene. The power of pictures can’t be denied. Perhaps these will make the authorities more chaste in the way they allow “justice” to be dispensed.