Former police officer indicted on criminal charge in civil rights case
A former New Castle police officer has been indicted by a federal grand jury in Pittsburgh on charges of deprivation of civil rights.
U.S. Attorney Scott W. Brady announced today the one-count indictment of Ronald Williams, 40, of New Castle.
Friday's announcement said the charge stems from an incident on April 23, 2018, where while on duty, Williams, "willfully deprived an individual identified as P.L. of his right to be free from unreasonable seizure by repeatedly slamming P.L.'s face into a floor surface, without justification, thereby causing bodily injury to P.L.”
The law provides a maximum sentence of 10 years in prison, a fine of $250,000 or both.
The victim, Perry Lawry, 49, of Slippery Rock, filed the civil rights complaint in May of 2018.
This is an excerpt — read a full article in Sunday's Butler Eagle.