MISSISSIPPI
A 42-year-old former police officer with the Alcorn State University Police Department in Lorman, Mississippi, plead guilty today in federal court to violating the civil rights of a suspect, according to officials.
The incident was caught on camera, officials said.
“The use of excessive force by law enforcement officers is a violation of the officer’s oath to protect the constitutional rights of all persons, even those in custody,” said U. S. Attorney Gregory K. Davis of Mississippi. “Ensuring that law enforcement officers do not victimize the citizens they are sworn to serve and protect is a top priority of this office.”
During his guilty plea before Senior U.S. District Judge David Bramlette III, Berthurm Allen admitted that while acting under his authority as an university police officer, he elbowed the victim in the face and threw the victim to the ground without legal justification.
He also admitted that he “misrepresented the circumstances surrounding the incident” in his police report to minimize his misconduct. Allen’s actions caused injuries to the victim’s nose and face, according to authorities.
According to information presented in court, the incident occurred at the Claiborne County Jail in Port Gibson, Mississippi, and was recorded by the jail’s surveillance cameras.
“When police officers violate the laws they swear to uphold, it threatens the credibility of our criminal justice system,” said Principal Deputy Assistant Attorney General Vanita Gupta, head of the Justice Department’s Civil Rights Division. “The Justice Department will continue to vigorously prosecute and hold accountable those officers who violate the constitutional rights of people in their custody.