WASHINGTON D.C. – Brigette O. Robertson, a Special Police Officer (SPO) in Washington, D.C., pled guilty today to a federal charge of violating the constitutional rights of a detained citizen. The charge stems from a brutal incident last June where Robertson intentionally stomped on the face of a woman under arrest, U.S. Attorney Jeanine Ferris Pirro announced.
The incident occurred on June 24, 2023, at a McDonald’s restaurant located on the 3900 block of Minnesota Avenue, NE. Robertson, employed by Specific Protection Services, LLC., was on duty in full uniform and vested with full police powers when a verbal altercation with a patron escalated into a physical confrontation. Metropolitan Police Department (MPD) officers arrived on the scene to gain control of the situation. Even after the patron was subdued and lying prone on the ground, under the control of an MPD officer, Robertson deliberately stepped over her and stomped on her face, causing pain and bleeding.
According to court documents, the stomp was entirely without legal justification – a clear and egregious violation of the victim’s constitutional rights. Robertson faces a potential penalty of up to one year in prison and a fine of up to $100,000 when sentenced on October 21, 2025, by U.S. District Judge Dabney L. Friedrich. The misdemeanor conviction highlights a disturbing pattern of potential abuse of power within private security forces operating with law enforcement authority.
Federal prosecutors emphasize the difficulty in securing convictions in these types of cases. Successfully prosecuting civil rights violations requires proving “willfulness” – that Robertson not only used excessive force, but did so with the deliberate and specific intent to violate the law. It’s a high bar, demanding proof beyond a reasonable doubt that the officer acted maliciously. The U.S. Attorney’s Office stated it routinely reviews police-involved use of force incidents to determine if federal or D.C. laws have been broken.
“The U.S. Attorney’s Office remains committed to investigating allegations of excessive force by law enforcement officers,” a statement released today read. “We will continue to devote the resources necessary to ensure that all allegations of serious civil rights violations are investigated fully and completely.” This case was investigated jointly by the FBI Washington Field Office and the Metropolitan Police Department Internal Affairs Division.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Michael Truscott of the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the District of Columbia’s Fraud, Public Corruption, and Civil Rights Section is prosecuting the case (Case No. 25cr167). The Grimy Times will continue to follow this case and report on the sentencing and any further developments. This incident raises serious questions about the oversight of Special Police Officers and the need for greater accountability within private security firms operating with police powers in the nation’s capital.
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Key Facts
- State: Washington DC
- Agency: DOJ USAO
- Category: Public Corruption
- Source: Official Source ↗
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