Two former Crawford County, Arkansas, sheriff’s deputies, Levi White, 34, and Zackary King, 28, pleaded guilty to federal civil rights offenses for using unlawful force on a man they arrested in a gas station parking lot on Aug. 21, 2022.
The video footage from the incident is a shocking display of the violent deprivation of civil rights committed by these officers, said U.S. Attorney Clay Fowlkes for the Western District of Arkansas. No person in police custody should ever feel threatened or experience violence at the hands of those who are sworn to protect the public.
“The defendants swore an oath to uphold the law, then violated that oath and abused their power by assaulting a person who was pinned to the ground and not resisting,” said Assistant Attorney General Kristen Clarke of the Justice Department’s Civil Rights Division. “These defendants will now face the serious consequences that result from their unlawful actions.”
According to court documents, White, King and a third officer approached a man identified as R.W. in a gas station parking lot on Aug. 21, 2022, during their investigation into a person threatening a store attendant. R.W. lunged at White and tackled him, then all three officers quickly subdued R.W. and pinned him to the ground. But after R.W. was pinned to the ground and no longer fighting the officers, King kicked R.W. in the back and struck R.W. once in the midsection with his fist. At approximately the same time, White punched R.W. at least nine times in the head, then lifted R.W.’s head and slammed it into the pavement.
R.W. suffered head injuries from the assault. White faces a maximum penalty of 10 years in prison, three years of supervised release, and a fine of up to $250,000. King faces a maximum penalty of one year in prison, one year of supervised release, and a fine of up to $100,000.
The FBI Little Rock Field Office and ARKTrust Task Force investigated the case. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Dustin Roberts and Devon Still for the Western District of Arkansas and Special Litigation Counsel Michael J. Songer and Trial Attorney Lia Rettammel of the Civil Rights Division are prosecuting the case.
“Disgraceful actions, like those of the two Crawford County sheriff’s deputies, negatively impact all members of Arkansas law enforcement,” said FBI Little Rock Special Agent in Charge Alicia D. Corder. “A gun and a badge does not give someone the right to ignore the Constitution. The FBI’s ArkTrust Task Force will continue to work to restore the public’s trust in law enforcement by investigating officers who violate the civil rights of citizens in our community.”
Sentencing hearings will be scheduled at a later date. Related court documents may be found on the Public Access to Electronic Records website at www.pacer.gov.
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Key Facts
- State: Arkansas
- Agency: DOJ USAO
- Category: Violent Crime
- Source: Official Source ↗
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