A former Warren police officer fired and criminally charged for use of excessive force pleaded guilty Monday to one count of deprivation of rights under the color of law.
Matthew Rodriguez, 49, pleaded guilty in U.S. District Court in Detroit for punching Jaquwan John Smith, 19 at the time, who is Black, in the face and slamming his head to the ground last June 13 while fingerprinting and photographing him at the city police station. Smith, who was not physically resisting, suffered “bodily injury from the beating,” U.S. Attorneys said in a press release.
Rodriguez faces up to 10 years in prison when he is sentenced Aug. 20.
He was also charged with falsifying a police report, but that charge will be dismissed as part of a plea deal with U.S. attorneys.
During the plea hearing, Rodriguez admitted he knew that his use of force against Smith was unreasonable and contrary to department policy, and that he made false statements and omitted information when he wrote a report about the incident.
Following the incident, Warren police released video of the encounter.
“The defendant’s actions in this case were shocking and flagrantly violate the standards of conduct we expect of all sworn law enforcement officers,” said U.S. Attorney Dawn Ison of the Eastern District of Michigan. “This investigation, and today’s guilty plea, reflect my office’s commitment to protecting the rights of every citizen in the community, even those who are accused of committing crimes.”
“When law enforcement abuses their authority, it erodes trust between the police and the community they are sworn to protect and serve,” said Assistant Attorney General Kristen Clarke of the Justice Department’s Civil Rights Division.
Rodriguez was charged with state misdemeanors but those were dismissed.
Smith filed a $50 million federal lawsuit against the city, Rodriguez, two other individuals and a “John Doe” about two weeks after the incident. The case is pending in front of U.S. District Judge Jonathan Grey, with a trial scheduled for next January.
Smith also faces criminal charges of armed robbery, felony firearm possession, carrying a concealed weapon, and resisting arrest, all felonies, and a misdemeanor auto break-in charge for his alleged actions the day he was arrested. He faces a Sept. 24 trial in front of Macomb County Circuit Judge James Maceroni.
The FBI Detroit Field Office investigated the criminal case against Rodriguez.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Robert Moran and Trial Attorney Alec Ward of the Justice Department’s Civil Rights Division are prosecuting the case.
