MISSOURI
An Independence, Missouri police officer admitted in federal court today that after a traffic stop he used a stun gun and then, dropped restrained 17-year-old Bryce Masters face-first to the ground, officials said.
The Sept. 14, 2014 incident resulted in Masters going into cardiac arrest and being placed in a medically induced coma and treated for lack of oxygen in the brain, according to federal prosecutors.
Former Independence, Missouri, police officer Timothy Runnels plead guilty today for violating the constitutional rights of a minor who was in his custody.
Documents filed in connection with the guilty plea state that Runnels, while employed as an officer of the Independence Police Department, deprived the minor of his civil rights by deliberately dropping the minor face first onto the ground while the minor was restrained and not posing a threat to Runnels or others.
Runnels is facing up to 10 years in prison and a fine of $250,000 for his conviction for violating the minor’s civil rights.
(Raw Video Obtained by the Kansas City Star)
“The department remains committed to ensuring that police officers who violate their sworn oaths by using excessive force are held accountable,” said Principal Deputy Assistant Attorney General Vanita Gupta. “I am hopeful that today’s plea brings a measure of closure for the victim.”
“The use of excessive force by law enforcement officers is a serious offense that strikes at the heart of Constitutional protections for all citizens,” said U.S. Attorney Tammy Dickinson of the Western District of Missouri. “This former police officer who violated his sworn duty to protect and serve should not reflect upon the vast majority of officers who perform their duties with integrity and professionalism.”
This case was investigated by the FBI’s Kansas City Division.
According to a KMBC TV 9 News report, this what was in the police incident report: Runnells said he first spotted the silver Pontiac with darkly tinted windows.
When Runnells ran the car’s plates, a report came back linking the vehicle to an arrest warrant for a female, the TV report states.
The TV report states Runnells said he couldn’t see who was in the car because of the dark windows, so he followed the car through a McDonald’s parking lot and stopped it.
The police report states Runnells smelled marijuana from the passenger’s side window when he stopped the car.
According to the incident report, Runnels said he ordered Masters to get out of the car and when he refused, the confrontation escalated and Runnells used the Taser. Masters suffered a medical emergency after the Taser was used on him and was taken to a hospital in critical condition, according to the TV report.
Runnells said he carried Masters to the side of the road, the TV report states.