XPost: alt.law-enforcement, alt.politics.republicans, sac.politics   
   XPost: talk.politics.misc   
   From: bksperman@outlook.com   
      
   The former Flagstaff police officer caught punching a woman in   
   the face on bystander video pleaded guilty Tuesday to   
   misdemeanor assault.   
      
   After reversing his earlier plea, Jeffrey Wilson — whose legal   
   name was Jeffrey Bonar when the incident occurred in November   
   2016 — was sentenced to 18 months of unsupervised probation. He   
   will not spend any time in jail as long as he abides by the   
   terms of probation, completes 80 hours of community service and   
   attends anger management counseling.   
      
   The hearing in Coconino County Superior Court concluded the ex-   
   officer's criminal case, which generated worldwide attention   
   after video of the confrontation went viral on Facebook.   
      
   "It's good that he stepped up and took responsibility for his   
   actions by pleading guilty today," said Benjamin Taylor, the   
   attorney representing Marissa Morris, the woman in the video.   
   "It was uncalled for. Pleading guilty shows his guilt that day,   
   that he should not have punched her."   
      
   Wilson was indicted on two counts of felony aggravated assault   
   in 2017, but the case halted when a judge ordered that it be   
   reexamined by a grand jury, as prosecutors originally put forth   
   a case that excluded evidence favorable to Wilson.   
      
   Grand jurors took another look, this time with the potentially   
   exculpatory information, and determined there was enough   
   evidence to show Wilson "intentionally, knowingly or recklessly"   
   caused physical injury to Morris as "she was bound or otherwise   
   physically restrained or while her capacity to resist was   
   substantially impaired."   
      
   Wilson pleaded not guilty to those felony charges Feb. 8.   
      
   The case was headed toward trial before Tuesday's guilty plea   
   for a lesser misdemeanor assault charge.   
      
   Marc J. Victor, the attorney representing Wilson, said in a   
   statement that he and his client were "very pleased with the   
   outcome." He declined to comment further after Tuesday's   
   hearing, saying instead that Wilson planned to make a statement   
   to reporters at a news conference Thursday.   
      
   Video surfaces   
   Wilson was placed on administrative leave shortly after   
   bystander video of the Nov. 16, 2016, incident surfaced on   
   Facebook.   
      
   That video shows Wilson grappling with 30-year-old Morris after   
   he arrived to help a Coconino County Sheriff's Office deputy   
   serve an eviction notice.   
      
   Wilson said he believed a previous warrant for Morris remained   
   active. It wasn't.   
      
   During the struggle, Wilson can be seen — and heard — punching   
   Morris in the face after she tells him, "You cannot arrest me   
   until I know I have a warrant."   
      
   Wilson resigned after an internal review found him to be in   
   violation of department policies. An independent review headed   
   by Northern Arizona University police criticized his actions.   
      
   All told, he was found in breach of six department policies,   
   including using unreasonable and excessive force in the   
   situation and not turning on his body camera. The device   
   captured moments before and after the incident, but not the   
   events that he said transpired too quickly to activate it.   
      
   The officer said he was kicked in the groin and assaulted and   
   that his use of force was not excessive given the situation.   
      
   However, his behavior that afternoon was described as "frazzled"   
   by the men who assisted him in Morris' arrest. Despite his   
   experience, Wilson's demeanor was described as more like that of   
   a rookie officer in his first physical altercation.   
      
   Records obtained by The Arizona Republic show Wilson was hired   
   by the Flagstaff Police Department on Dec. 30, 2013, and   
   completed his training May 8, 2014.   
      
   Report: Flagstaff officer caught punching woman says she kicked   
   him   
      
   Lawsuit filed   
   In addition to the felony assault indictment, an attorney   
   representing Morris has sued the city of Flagstaff and the   
   officer.   
      
   The lawsuit, filed in October, says Morris remains scarred by   
   the incident, which was broadcast on national television.   
      
   It also claims the city was negligent in its hiring of the   
   officer and its supervision during his interaction with Morris.   
      
   Additionally, the officer inflicted "emotional distress" on   
   Morris, committed battery and falsely imprisoned her, according   
   to the lawsuit.   
      
   A previously filed notice of claim sought $1 million in damages.   
      
   Attorneys are continuing discussions about the civil case,   
   Taylor said Tuesday.   
      
   "Ms. Morris was hurt badly that day, and this will affect her   
   for the rest of her life," he said.   
      
   https://www.freep.com/story/news/local/arizona/2018/05/15/jeffre   
   y-wilson-jeffrey-bonar-pleaded-guilty-misdemeanor-   
   assault/606179002/   
      
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