FORT SMITH, Ark. – Two former Crawford County 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.
According to court documents, White and King, along with a third officer, approached a man identified as R.W. 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. 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.
The assault left R.W. with head injuries.
“The videos from this incident are 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 should ever experience violence at the hands of those who are sworn to protect the public. We will continue to vigorously pursue justice in cases involving the violation of civil rights in the Western District of Arkansas.”
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.
Sentencing hearings will be scheduled at a later date. The case was investigated by the FBI Little Rock Field Office and the ARKTrust Task Force.
The Justice Department will continue to protect the right of every person in this country to be free of excessive force by law enforcement officers, said Assistant Attorney General Kristen Clarke of the Justice Department’s Civil Rights Division.
The FBI Little Rock Special Agent in Charge Alicia D. Corder stated, “Disgraceful actions, like those of the two Crawford County sheriff’s deputies, negatively impact all members of Arkansas law enforcement. 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.”
Related court documents may be found on the Public Access to Electronic Records website at www.pacer.gov.
Key Facts
- State: Arkansas
- Category: Violent Crime
- Source: DOJ Press Release â†â€â€
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