Darrell Taylor, Excessive Force, Kentucky 2023

A former Louisville corrections officer has been charged with using excessive force against a pretrial detainee. Darrell Taylor, 32, was indicted today by a federal grand jury in Louisville, Kentucky, for using unlawful force against a pretrial detainee while Taylor was an officer at the Louisville Metro Department of Corrections.

The indictment charges Taylor with one count of deprivation of rights under color of law. The indictment alleges that Taylor used unreasonable force when he assaulted pretrial detainee B.R., resulting in bodily injury to B.R., including a broken jaw.

This is a serious allegation that undermines the public's trust in law enforcement. As a corrections officer, Taylor was sworn to protect and serve, not to harm and abuse those in his custody.

The charge carries a maximum penalty of 10 years of imprisonment. This is a reminder that those who abuse their power and violate the rights of others will be held accountable.

The case was investigated by the FBI Louisville Field Office, and is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Amanda Gregory for the Western District of Kentucky, and Special Litigation Counsel Sam Trepel and Trial Attorney Andrew Manns of the Justice Department's Civil Rights Division.

An indictment is merely an allegation and the defendant is presumed innocent unless proven guilty.

Background on the case: This is a disturbing incident that highlights the need for accountability within law enforcement. The Louisville Metro Department of Corrections has a responsibility to ensure that its officers are trained to handle situations in a way that respects the rights of all individuals in their custody.

As a community, we must demand that our law enforcement agencies uphold the highest standards of integrity and professionalism. Anything less is unacceptable.

Source: https://www.justice.gov/archives/opa/pr/former-louisville-kentucky-department-corrections-officer-charged-using-excessive-force