According to evidence presented during the trial, Abbott punched a driver in the face during a traffic stop in January 2021 because the man asked to speak to his supervisor, and then pulled the man out of the car and struck him several more times, the statement said. When a passenger pleaded with Abbott to stop, the deputy struck the passenger in the face with an elbow and broke his glasses.
The following month, Abbott arrested the passenger of a car and punched him in the face without justification, and conspired with another officer to write a report saying the man had approached Abbott aggressively before being struck, the statement said.
The deputy also searched a hotel room without a warrant that March and then wrote a report falsely saying the guest had given consent, the agency said.
And that April, Abbott punched a handcuffed man in the face when he posed no threat following a vehicle pursuit, authorities said.
Laws don’t apply to cops.