Video After The Jump
MARTINSBURG, W.Va. (WCHS/WVAH) — Prosecutors said a federal grand jury indicted a former West Virginia state trooper Wednesday for using excessive force in the alleged beating of a 16-year-old in Martinsburg that was captured in a dashcam video.
Ex-trooper Michael Kennedy, 29, of Morgantown is charged with one count of “Deprivation of Rights under Color of Law,” according to a news release from the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Northern District of West Virginia.
Kennedy is accused of using excessive force resulting in bodily injury during the arrest on Nov. 19, 2018, in Berkeley County. If convicted, Kennedy faces up to 10 years of incarceration and a fine of up to $250,000.
In January, State Police announced that Kennedy, who was a trooper first class, and Trooper First Class Derek Walker were discharged over the incident. The Berkeley County sheriff said two deputies also were fired.
State Police Superintendent Jan Cahill in an interview with MetroNews described the video that shows the altercation. He said five officers are shown in the video and the juvenile is taken out of the vehicle after it crashes. At one point, the superintendent told MetroNews, a person is picked up and thrown.
West Virginia Gov. Jim Justice previously condemned the actions of the troopers shown in the video.
The FBI is investigating the incident, along with the Jefferson County Sheriff's Office and the Berkeley County Prosecutor's Office.
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