A former Louisiana State Police trooper has been charged with a civil rights violation for pummeling a Black motorist 18 times with a flashlight.
It’s the first criminal case to emerge from federal investigations into troopers’ beatings of at least three Black men.
A federal grand jury indicted Jacob Brown on Thursday for the 2019 beating that left Aaron Larry Bowman with a broken jaw, broken ribs and a gash to his head.
The indictment charges Brown with a single count of deprivation of rights under color of law.
Specifically, the indictment alleges that Brown assaulted Bowman by repeatedly striking him in the head and body with a flashlight modified with a metal tactical cap designed for breaking glass.
If convicted of the deprivation of rights charge, Brown faces a maximum sentence of 10 years in prison, 3 years of supervised release, and a fine of up to $250,000.
Brown's attorney declined to comment when contacted by The Associated Press.
The indictment comes as prosecutors are scrutinizing other troopers in the deadly 2019 arrest of Ronald Greene.
