A former Louisville Metro Police officer who struck an unarmed, kneeling protester with a riot stick has been sentenced to 2 years in jail for utilizing extreme pressure.

Cory Evans, 34, beforehand pleaded responsible to deprivation of rights underneath shade of legislation for the assault that befell throughout unrest prompted by the killing of Breonna Taylor in Louisville, Kentucky, in Might 2020.

U.S. District Courtroom Decide Rebecca Grady Jennings sentenced Evans on Tuesday to 2 years' imprisonment and two years' supervised launch.

Evans had been working as a part of the Louisville Metro Police Division's Particular Response Workforce on Might 31, 2020, when he adopted a gaggle of individuals round downtown Louisville to make arrests for illegal meeting and violations of curfew, in keeping with a information launch from the Division of Justice.

One protester surrendered for arrest by "getting on his knees and inserting his palms within the air," the discharge stated.

"Whereas that particular person was kneeling on this place, Evans struck him behind the pinnacle with a riot stick, which created a wound on the again of the kneeling sufferer's head."

Evans "abused his authority by violently retaliating towards a surrendering arrestee who had been exercising his First Modification rights" throughout an indication, Kristen Clarke, assistant legal professional basic for the Justice Division's Civil Rights Division, stated in an announcement.

"The Justice Division will proceed to carry accountable officers who violate their oath and the Structure."

The protester, Marty Chester, urged the decide to indicate Evans "the identical lack of mercy he confirmed me as I bled out" throughout Tuesday's sentencing listening to, the Courier Journal reported.

Chester stated he had suffered a gash on his head, wanted three staples and misplaced his listening to for every week, and has additionally skilled anxiousness and post-traumatic stress dysfunction because the assault. "You've got stolen my safety, Mr. Evans," he stated.

Evans apologized to Chester throughout the listening to and stated he was "embarrassed" by what he had performed, the newspaper reported. "I used to be drained. I used to be damaged. I used to be stressed," he stated.

Evans added that he had "misplaced the whole lot," together with his potential police and army pensions and advantages. "The one factor I've left is my household," he stated.

He additionally apologized for dragging the police division's title "by means of the mud." He resigned in July 2021, days after being charged.

Evans' legal professional Brian Butler had argued that prosecutors' name for him to be jailed for 4 years was "draconian" and cited his shopper's previous acts of heroism whereas working for the police division and whereas deployed to Afghanistan.

He additionally stated Chester had been with a gaggle of people that have been reportedly beginning fires and throwing bricks.

Assistant U.S. Legal professional Amanda Gregory stated Chester was not on trial and no officer stated they noticed Chester throw bricks or begin fires. He was arrested on the night time in query, however the cost was dismissed and expunged, Gregory added.

The decide determined that 4 years was extreme, however that Butler's request for probation in lieu of jail was not applicable.

In addition to two years in jail, Evans can even need to pay $1,962.85 in restitution, the Courier Journal reported.

Butler informed Newsweek on Wednesday: "Cory shall be ceaselessly disillusioned that the federal government that he served in fight rejected his request to have his case referred to Veteran's Courtroom and sought a draconian sentence. We're grateful that the courtroom rejected the federal government's sentencing suggestion.

"He took full duty for his split-second response."

The legal professional added that Evans was a fight veteran who had saved at the very least 4 lives as a Louisville police officer, and the incident had taken place at a time when Louisville officers "have been shot at nightly."

He stated: "That they had Molotov cocktails thrown at them. They have been pummeled with rocks, bricks, bottles of urine and bottles of rancid milk."

Replace 02/02/22, 11 a.m. ET: This text was up to date with feedback from Cory Evans' legal professional Brian Butler.

Protesters continue to gather after nightfall
Protesters proceed to collect after dusk regardless of a curfew being put in place on Might 30, 2020 in Louisville, Kentucky. Brett Carlsen/Getty Photographs