The murder of George Floyd at the hands of a police officer brought to the fore the high-handedness employed by law enforcement authorities while apprehending suspects. However, what about cases that go unreported or are concealed from the world? Serving as an example of such an instance, a US police officer recently pleaded guilty to brutally assaulting an arrestee and writing a false report to conceal the attack.
Jeremy Gibson, 31, a former officer with the Muncie Police Department in Indiana, pleaded guilty on Friday to assaulting an arrestee in violation of his civil rights. He was also found guilty of obstruction of justice for preparing a false report in order to cover up the incident. Gibson faces up to 30 years in prison and his sentencing will be held at a later date
Use of Unnecessary Force
According to statements and documents presented in court, the incident occurred on 13 May 2019. Gibson initiated a traffic stop against the driver as one of the headlights of his car was not functioning. When the driver exited the vehicle, Gibson attempted to tackle him to the ground. He also threw a flurry of punches at the victim while trying to take him down.
While Gibson's fellow officers were attempting to secure the driver, he struck the right side of the driver's head with his knee. As a result, the victim's head swung to the side. However, as this occurred, one of Gibson's colleagues used his knees to deliver another blow to the other side of the diver's head. Following this, a false report was registered by Gibson about the incident.
No Escape from Law
Along with Gibson, three other officers from the Muncie Police Department — Chase Winkle, Corey Posey, and Joseph Krejsa—were charged in April 2021. In a 17-count superseding indictment, charges were imposed on all the four officers for their part in employing extreme force against the arrestee, and for trying to hide their misconduct.
While the trial of the three officers is set to be held in August 2022, a fifth officer—Dalton Kurtz—pleaded guilty to multiple charges on 4 August 2021. He pled guilty to misprision of a felony for concealing and for not reporting the uncalled use of force by Winkle in a separate incident.
