HOLLIDAYSBURG, Pa. (AP) - A fired central Pennsylvania police officer has been acquitted of wrongly punching and kicking an unruly, intoxicated man already restrained by other officers.
A Blair County on Thursday found 30-year-old former Altoona officer Mark Sprouse not guilty of simple assault and official oppression.
The charges stemmed from the February 2015 arrest of 31-year-old Allen Mowery, who has said he was “mouthy, drunk and arrogant” but not fighting with officers trying to put him in a holding cell after his arrest for an earlier fight with police.
Another Altoona officer testified Wednesday he saw Sprouse kick Mowery in the head while he was down. Sprouse denied that saying he used his foot to move Mowery’s arm so he could be handcuffed.
Sprouse’s attorney says they’ll now fight to get him rehired.
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