Ex-Cop Ellis C. Brown III Gets 6 Years for Brutal Kick Assault

Former St. Ann police officer Ellis C. Brown, III, 32, of High Ridge, Missouri, is headed to federal prison for six years after being convicted of deprivation of civil rights under color of law — a brutal beating caught on video and witnessed by fellow officers who stepped in to stop it.

Brown appeared today before United States District Court Judge Audrey G. Fleissig in St. Louis, where he was formally sentenced for repeatedly kicking a defenseless man lying face-down in a parking lot outside a US Bank at Natural Bridge and Kingshighway in April 2019. The assault followed a reckless, high-speed chase through rush hour traffic, with Brown and other St. Ann officers pursuing the victim for over twenty minutes at speeds topping 115 mph.

During a three-day jury trial in June, federal prosecutors laid out damning evidence showing Brown escalated the encounter far beyond protocol. Despite the man being immobilized and posing no threat, Brown delivered multiple forceful kicks to his body and head — an act captured on surveillance footage that played a pivotal role in the conviction.

Two St. Louis Metropolitan Police Officers intervened to halt Brown’s attack, physically stepping between him and the victim. Their testimony, along with video evidence and FBI forensic analysis, painted a clear picture of excessive force used under the guise of law enforcement authority.

The case was investigated by the Federal Bureau of Investigation and prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Derek Wiseman, who emphasized the breach of public trust. “Officers swear to protect and serve,” Wiseman stated after sentencing. “When they instead become the source of violence, justice must hold them accountable — especially when the proof is undeniable.”

Brown’s sentencing marks a rare federal conviction for police misconduct in the region, underscoring ongoing scrutiny of use-of-force practices. He will serve 72 months in federal prison, followed by three years of supervised release.