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Ex-Louisiana police officer convicted for lying to FBI in civil rights case
Source: The Guardian
Ex-Louisiana police officer convicted for lying to FBI in civil rights case
Willie Fred Knowles pleaded guilty and faces five years in prison
for pushing and hitting woman, and lying to FBI about use of force
in incident
Mazin Sidahmed
Monday 8 August 2016 23.31 BST
A former Louisiana police officer pleaded guilty to violating the civil rights of a woman and lying to the FBI on Friday, in a rare case of a police officer facing conviction.
According to the indictment, in 2012, Homer police department officer Willie Fred Knowles pushed a woman, known as KM, to the floor and struck her face and body, causing injury. A few months later, when questioned by the FBI, Knowles lied about the incident, telling agents the woman jumped on his back and he never struck her.
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On Friday, in a court in Shreveport, Louisiana, Knowles pleaded guilty to lying to the FBI and violating the civil rights of KM. He will be sentenced on November 9 and he faces a maximum sentence of five years in prison for lying to the FBI and one year for the civil rights charge.
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Knowles’ case represents a rare example of a police officer facing a conviction for a civil rights case. A study by the Pittsburgh Tribune-Review found that, between 1995 and 2005, federal prosecutors denied bringing charges in 96% of cases where law enforcement officers faced civil rights charges. In contrast, prosecutors turned down only 23% of all other type of criminal cases.
[font size=1]-snip-[/font]
Willie Fred Knowles pleaded guilty and faces five years in prison
for pushing and hitting woman, and lying to FBI about use of force
in incident
Mazin Sidahmed
Monday 8 August 2016 23.31 BST
A former Louisiana police officer pleaded guilty to violating the civil rights of a woman and lying to the FBI on Friday, in a rare case of a police officer facing conviction.
According to the indictment, in 2012, Homer police department officer Willie Fred Knowles pushed a woman, known as KM, to the floor and struck her face and body, causing injury. A few months later, when questioned by the FBI, Knowles lied about the incident, telling agents the woman jumped on his back and he never struck her.
[font size=1]-snip-[/font]
On Friday, in a court in Shreveport, Louisiana, Knowles pleaded guilty to lying to the FBI and violating the civil rights of KM. He will be sentenced on November 9 and he faces a maximum sentence of five years in prison for lying to the FBI and one year for the civil rights charge.
[font size=1]-snip-[/font]
Knowles’ case represents a rare example of a police officer facing a conviction for a civil rights case. A study by the Pittsburgh Tribune-Review found that, between 1995 and 2005, federal prosecutors denied bringing charges in 96% of cases where law enforcement officers faced civil rights charges. In contrast, prosecutors turned down only 23% of all other type of criminal cases.
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Read more: https://www.theguardian.com/us-news/2016/aug/08/louisiana-police-officer-guilty-fbi-civil-rights-case