SEATTLE (AP) — A Seattle police officer accused of kicking a suspect in an incident caught on video pleaded not guilty Monday to a fourth-degree assault charge.
KOMO-TV reports Officer James Lee could face up to a year in jail if convicted of the assault last October in a downtown convenience store. The12-year veteran is on administrative leave, awaiting trial scheduled for Aug. 8.
The teen was acquitted of a robbery charge and has filed a $450,000 claim against the city, accusing the officer of “unjustified and excessive force.”
The U.S. Justice Department recently launched a civil rights investigation of the Seattle Police Department after several incidents of force used against minorities.
