Former Antioch officer Matthew Nutt acquitted in assault case
ANTIOCH -- A former Antioch police officer was acquitted of misdemeanor assault Thursday, nearly two years after an altercation with a man while arresting him.
Matthew Nutt's attorney Nicole Pifari said the one-week trial in Contra Costa County Superior Court ended with the jury acquitting her client after an hour of deliberation.
Nutt was charged last year with assault by a public officer after being fired by the Antioch Police Department in April 2023 for violating the department's use of force policies.
According to Pifari, the call originated on July 1, 2022 with a traffic stop where the passenger in the car had a warrant for two felonies related to a drive-by shooting.
After being handcuffed, the suspect tried to run, then began to resist, leading to a physical struggle at the door of the patrol car with two officers," Pifari said in a statement. "At well over 300 pounds, the suspect was overpowering the officers when Nutt used a series of body strikes to gain his compliance."
The Contra Costa County District Attorney's Office said Friday, "Though the verdict was not in our favor, we acknowledge the importance of a jury trial in ensuring a fair and impartial legal process."
