An Indianapolis police sergeant who stomped on a handcuffed man's face during an arrest was sentenced to one year and one day in prison Friday, federal prosecutors said.
Eric Huxley, 45, pleaded guilty in May to a civil rights charge. The violent incident during a Sept. 24, 2021, arrest for disorderly conduct was captured on body-worn camera.
The incident took place on Sept. 24, 2021, when IMPD officer Mathew Shores was attempting to arrest a man, identified as Jermaine Vaughn, on Monument Circle and called for backup. Body-worn camera from Shores shows him take down the man while handcuffed, then another officer, identified by IMPD as Huxley, stomps on the man's face as he is on the ground.
"[The man] is on his backside on the ground, looking up at Ofc. Shores with his hands cuffed behind his back,"stated the probable cause affidavit, the news outlet reported.
"Sgt. Huxley then walks over to [the man], lifts his left leg and drives his left foot down into [the man's] face. Within seconds, blood is visible in [the man's] mouth,"it stated.
"Stop! You're done! You're done! You're done!"Huxley yells at Vaughn after kicking him in the face, the video shows.
"There you go. Police brutality!" Vaughn responds.
"In addition to the trauma inflicted on victims, police officers who break the law and use excessive force damage the community's trust in the law enforcement profession," Zachary Myers, U.S. attorney for the Southern District of Indiana, said in a statement.
Huxley was indicted in October on a civil rights violation of deprivation of rights under colour of law. The federal grand jury indictment alleged Huxley used his foot to hit the man without lawful justification.
In a statement, the US Attorney's Office for the Southern District of Indiana said Mr Vaughan posed no danger to the officers or the public when he was assaulted. In addition to the prison sentence, Huxley was sentenced to six months of home detention and 18 months of supervised release.
Before being sentenced to a year, Sgt. Huxley remained suspended without pay pending a recommendation of termination to the IMPD Civilian Police Merit Board.
