Tony Bean, Excessive Force, Tennessee 2021

Former law enforcement officer Anthony ‘Tony’ Bean, 61, was found guilty by a federal court today of violating two arrestees’ civil rights by using excessive force against them in Tennessee.

Bean was convicted of using excessive force against arrestee C.G. on two occasions during C.G.’s arrest in 2014, while Bean was the Chief of the Tracy City Police Department in Tracy City, Tennessee, and of using excessive force against arrestee F.M. during F.M.’s arrest in 2017, while Bean was the Chief Deputy of the Grundy County Sheriff’s Office in Grundy County, Tennessee.

Bean’s co-defendant, T.J. Bean, faced a single charge at trial and was acquitted of using excessive force against arrestee F.M. during the same arrest in 2017.

In June 2021, the court heard evidence over the course of three days that showed that, during C.G.’s arrest in the Tracy Lakes area of Grundy County in 2014, Tony Bean repeatedly punched C.G. in the face while C.G. was handcuffed and compliant, causing C.G. pain and other injuries.

The court also heard evidence that, during F.M.’s arrest in Grundy County in 2017, Tony Bean punched F.M. in the face while F.M. was compliant, causing pain and other injuries. In addition, the court heard evidence that Tony Bean bragged about using excessive force against his victims and failed to report his uses of force.

“Every person in our nation has the right to be free from unlawful abuse by police officers, including the use of excessive force during an arrest,” said Assistant Attorney General Kristen Clarke. “This verdict makes clear that law enforcement officials who use unlawful force are not above the law. We will not stand idly by in the face of criminal misconduct by law enforcement officials in any part of the country.”

Tony Bean’s sentencing has been set for June. He faces a maximum penalty of 10 years of imprisonment on each of the three counts of conviction. This case was investigated by the Knoxville Division of the FBI and was prosecuted by Trial Attorneys Kathryn E. Gilbert and Andrew Manns of the Justice Department’s Civil Rights Division and Assistant U.S. Attorney James Brooks of the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of Tennessee.

Defendant: Anthony ‘Tony’ Bean

Criminal Charges: Violating two arrestees’ civil rights by using excessive force against them

City and State: Tracy City, Tennessee

Exact Date: 2014, 2017

Sentence: Faces a maximum penalty of 10 years of imprisonment on each of the three counts of conviction

Defendant’s Name, Crime, State Year: Tony Bean, Excessive Force, Tennessee 2021

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