Baltimore Police Officer Sentenced To Prison For Assaulting Juvenile Victim In Front Of City Hall
BALTIMORE (WJZ) -- A Baltimore City Police Officer was sentenced to six months in prison, and two years fully suspended, with two years of supervised probation.
Officer Carlos Rivera-Martinez was sentenced for assaulting a juvenile victim in front of City Hall.
On July 5, 2016, Officer Rivera-Martinez responded to a request for additional officers near the 400 block of Baltimore Street.
Rivera-Martinez and other officers on the scene were instructed to clear the block.
According to Rivera-Martinez, the victim was creating a disturbance, yelling at the officers and refusing to leave when ordered by police.
Officer Rivera-Martinez claimed he was going to arrest the victim for disorderly conduct and failing to obey an officer's lawful order. However, the victim disputed the claim and insisted he left when ordered by officers.
When the victim began running from the block, Officer Rivera-Martinez chased him on Gay Street, and the chase ended in the courtyard in front of City Hall.
At this point, the victim stopped in the middle of a gravel path, turned around, put his hands in the air and kneeled, facing the officer.
Officer Rivera-Martinez tackled the victim and hit him several times on the head with his Taser. He did not include the victim's actions to submit and comply with the officers in his statement of charges.
The victim's actions came to light through CCTV footage of the Memorial Plaza area.
The victim was taken to an area hospital where he was treated for lacerations and abrasions to his face and head, as well as for a broken leg.
