DENVER (AP) - A Denver police sergeant has been suspended for choking an unarmed man for more than a minute until he passed out.
The Denver Post reports Sgt. Rudolph Suniga will serve a monthlong suspension beginning May 20 for choking Jaworski Gauthier, ignoring his pleas for help.
The incident happened Sept. 23, when Suniga responded to a report of a man attempting to steal cars.
Body camera footage shows Suniga putting Gauthier in a chokehold, which is forbidden in the Denver Police Department’s use of force policy.
Deputy Director of Public Safety Mary Dulacki called Gauthier’s actions “inappropriate” and “disproportionate to the aggression level displayed by the suspect.”
Denver Department of Public Safety spokeswoman Kelli Christensen says Gauthier was arrested in connection to the incident and later pleaded guilty to third-degree assault and attempted motor vehicle theft.
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Information from: The Denver Post, http://www.denverpost.com
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