Former Warren police officer who assaulted a Black man after an arrest pleads guilty
A former Warren police officer who punched a young Black man in the face and slammed his head to the ground pleaded guilty Monday to a federal civil rights violation.
Matthew Rodriguez acknowledged using "unreasonable force" against the 19-year-old man while processing him in the fingerprint room at the Warren jail in June. He also admitted that he made false statements about the incident.
"This police officer carried out a violent assault on a man who was doing nothing to harm or endanger him and then tried to cover up his crime," said Assistant Attorney General Kristen Clarke of the Justice Department's Civil Rights Division. "Police officers are not above the law in our country and will be held accountable when they violate people's civil and constitutional rights. When law enforcement abuses their authority, it erodes trust between the police and the community they are sworn to protect and serve. The Justice Department stands ready and willing to investigate and prosecute any police officer who unlawfully uses excessive force against those in their custody."
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Jaquwan Smith "was not physically resisting arrest or attempting to escape," Rodriguez' plea agreement states.
Rodriguez was fired by the Warren police department, which released video of the incident in the summer. William Dwyer, who was police commissioner at the time, said, "Like everybody, I was shocked and appalled when I observed Rodriguez's actions. These actions were completely unjustified and unprofessional, ultimately resulting in criminal charges against him. This incident no doubt reflected negatively on every member of this Department. A comprehensive internal investigation showed that Rodriguez violated multiple Department policies and procedures. Given the totality of this incident, the decision to terminate Rodriguez's employment was clear and obvious."
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"The defendant's actions in this case were shocking and flagrantly violate the standards of conduct we expect of all sworn law enforcement officers," U.S. Attorney Dawn N. Ison for the Eastern District of Michigan. "This investigation, and today's guilty plea, reflect my office's commitment to protecting the rights of every citizen in the community, even those who are accused of committing crimes."
Rodriguez will be in court for his sentence on Aug. 20. The maximum sentence is 10 years in prison.
