Huntsville police officer on leave for lying to grand jury, FBI in beating investigation (al.com)

[eppur_se_muova]

By Jonathan Grass | [e-mail]
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on July 31, 2015 at 3:37 PM, updated July 31, 2015 at 4:37 PM

The Huntsville Police Department confirms that the officer who admitted lying to investigators and the grand jury in fellow officer Brett Russell's trial is now on administrative leave.

Officer Joshua Bates admitted that he was there when Russell beat Gary Wayne Hopkins during an arrest on Dec. 23, 2011. Hopkins was the handcuffed domestic violence suspect Russell punched and kicked, which was caught on video. Russell was convicted of violating Hopkins' civil rights in federal court Thursday evening.

During the trial, Bates admitted lying to an FBI investigator and the federal grand jury, as well as to his department's internal affairs division, about seeing Russell hit Hopkins. He also lied about Hopkins resisting arrest.

Lying to a grand jury or the FBI is a federal offense, but Bates struck a deal for immunity.

Huntsville Police Department spokesman Lt. Darryl Lawson confirmed Bates has been placed on paid leave while they conduct an internal investigation.

Russell is waiting for sentencing in an isolation cell in the Morgan County Jail. Sentencing could tentatively be in two months.
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http://www.al.com/news/huntsville/index.ssf/2015/07/huntsville_police_officer_on_l.html#incart_river




Wow, it's like the police depts. suddenly realize they're under a magnifying glass ... better to sacrifice a cop or two than to get caught in a cover-up.

[Nuclear Unicorn]

1. #TheOnlyOnes

Though, admittedly, it's hard to be too mad at someone who gives a wife beater his own.

[Schema Thing]

2. not if you're sufficiently aware of how detrimental abuse of power is.

if so, you separate the two disparate bad actions effortlessly.

[TexasProgresive]

3. Is that Huntsville, TX or Huntsville, AL or some other Huntsville?

[eppur_se_muova]

4. al.com is the publisher of most of AL's major newspapers. nt