LOS ANGELES (AP) - A Los Angeles police officer has avoided jail time for kicking and punching a man during an arrest by fulfilling an agreement with prosecutors.
A Superior Court judge on Tuesday accepted a deal that allowed 36-year-old Richard Garcia to withdraw an earlier plea of no contest to felony assault under color of authority and enter a new no-contest plea to a misdemeanor assault charge.
The Los Angeles Times reports (https://lat.ms/2rN1S23 ) that the district attorney’s office gave Garcia the opportunity to avoid jail and reduce the charge if he completed community service, stayed away from the victim and donated $500 to a charity.
Garcia faces a department disciplinary hearing that could result in his firing. Chief Charlie Beck says Garcia is no longer being paid.
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Information from: Los Angeles Times, https://www.latimes.com/
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