An Indianapolis police officer was indicted by a federal grand jury on Tuesday (Oct. 18) for assaulting a man in September 2021.
via: NBC News
The grand jury indicted Sgt. Eric Huxley, 44, on one count of deprivation of rights under color of law. The U.S. Attorney’s Office said in a statement Wednesday that Huxley was charged “with violating the civil rights of an arrestee by using excessive force.”
The charge alleges that Huxley struck a person in the head and face, causing injury, while that person was handcuffed in September 2021, and that Huxley did so without legal justification.
The federal charge contains no information about Huxley’s alleged victim, identified last year as Jermaine Vaughn. But Huxley was suspended without pay last year after body camera footage released by police showed him using excessive force against the man during the downtown Indianapolis arrest.
Police Chief Randal Taylor recommended last year that Huxley, then a 14-year veteran of the Indianapolis Metropolitan Police Department, be dismissed.
Huxley’s attorney, John Kautzman, said in a statement at the time that his client looked forward to proving he did not act illegally or with criminal intent.
“Over the course of his nearly 15-year career, Sgt. Huxley has been an exemplary police officer. He has never before faced criminal charges or any type of department discipline or excessive force allegations,” Kautzman said last year.
You can view the graphic bodycam footage below.
