“Fall River Officer Nicholas Hoar Faces Trial for Allegedly Assaulting Handcuffed Man with Police Baton and Filing False Reports”

– Fall River police officer brutality trial
– Federal court trial for Fall River police officer brutality.

Accident – Death – Obituary News : Fall River, a city in Massachusetts, is set to witness the federal trial of patrol officer Nicholas Hoar, who is accused of hitting a handcuffed man on the head with a police baton at police headquarters. The incident, which took place in December 2020, has led to a federal indictment against Hoar, following an FBI investigation. Hoar, who is currently on unpaid leave but still a member of the Fall River Police Department (FRPD), has pleaded not guilty to charges of deprivation of rights under color of law resulting in bodily injury, as well as filing false reports.

The trial is expected to shed light on the alleged misconduct and inappropriate use of force by Fall River police in recent years. Specifically, the focus will be on the incident involving William Harvey, a 58-year-old man who was reportedly assaulted by Hoar while being led out of a van outside the police station. Harvey had been arrested on a domestic complaint. Hoar claimed in a police report that Harvey had kicked him during a struggle, and that the handcuffed prisoner had hit his head on a cell wall. However, court records suggest that Hoar failed to mention in a use of force report that he had hit Harvey with a police baton.

The alleged assault was partially captured on a surveillance camera in the booking room. Following the incident, Harvey was taken to a local hospital for treatment of his injuries. In addition to the misdemeanor domestic assault charge, Harvey was also charged with felony assault with a deadly weapon and felony assault on a police officer for the incident at the police headquarters. After spending 120 days in jail, he was released and moved back to his home in Las Vegas. However, during a hearing in Fall River District Court, a judge ordered Harvey to spend another 102 days in jail. He later pleaded guilty to the domestic case and received probation. The felony charges against him were dropped by the Bristol County District Attorney after Hoar’s federal indictment.

The trial, which is expected to last for 10 days, will involve several witnesses, including Fall River police officers. However, it is unlikely that Harvey will be called to the witness stand by federal prosecutors. The DNA test results on the baton allegedly used by Hoar, which likely belongs to Harvey, will be presented as evidence during the trial. Another ruling by Federal Judge Allison D. Burroughs indicates that the 2017 fatal shooting by Hoar, which took the life of 19-year-old Larry Ruiz-Barreto, will not be discussed in court. Hoar had claimed self-defense, stating that Ruiz-Barreto had attempted to run him over. The shooting was cleared by the Bristol County District Attorney’s office.

Hoar, a fifth-generation police officer in Fall River, joined the FRPD in 2016, following in the footsteps of his brother and recently retired father. Prior to joining the FRPD, he had been a member of the transit police. However, his certification as a law enforcement officer was suspended by the Massachusetts Peace Officer Standards and Training Commission in January of last year.

This trial is the latest in a series of criminal cases involving Fall River police officers accused of misconduct or excessive use of force. Former officers Michael Pessoa and Bryan Custadio are currently serving prison time in separate cases. Meanwhile, a federal civil lawsuit filed by the family of Larry Ruiz-Barreto against Hoar and other city police officers and officials, seeking $34 million in damages, is still pending in federal court.

As the trial begins, the residents of Fall River eagerly await the outcome of this case, hoping for justice and accountability in their local police department..

1. Fall River police officer brutality trial federal court
2. Fall River police officer trial brutality federal court.