Federal charge was brought up against a police officer from Louisville, Kentucky who was suspected to have hit a person in the head in May last year, according to court documents.
The arrest was made during a series of protests on the deaths of Black people, George Floyd in Minneapolis and Breonna Taylor in Louisville, in the hands of the police.
Based on the charging document filed by the US Attorney’s Office for the Western District of Kentucky, Louisville Metro Police Officer Cory Evans was charged with a single count of rights deprivation.
A 10-year imprisonment along with monetary fines are to be faced by the officer if conviction is granted.
The document stated that the arrest happened last May 31, 2020, or around that date.
The officer allegedly used a riot stick to hit a person in the back of the head. The person, who was identified only as “M.C.”, was on his or her knees and was holding hands in the air as a sign of surrender. “M.C.” has suffered body injuries.
There was friction on the relationship between the Louisville police and the residents since the death of Taylor in March last year.
A police officer connected to the unskilled raid was kicked off from duty and facing charges for threatening residents in the neighborhood. While he pleaded non guilty, he is yet to face trial next year.
The National Guard troops were already requested by Kentucky Gov. Andy Beshear to augment the police in enforcing the night curfew last year amid the protests.
The Louisville Metro Council’s oversight panel is now tasked to probe the city’s leadership for its actions that led to the raid, as well as their reaction to protests.
US Attorney General Merrick Garland announced in April a Justice Department investigation into the activities of the LMPD.
