A former Arkansas police officer who was caught on video punching a handcuffed man in the back of a patrol car in August has been arrested and charged with aggravated assault.
Joseph Harris turned himself in Tuesday morning at the Craighead County Sheriff’s Office to face charges of aggravated assault, filing a false police report and third-degree assault. He was released that same morning on $15,000 bail, a jail official said.
Harris, 29, was fired from the Jonesboro Police Department a day after his patrol car’s camera recorded him elbowing, punching and slamming doors on the head of a handcuffed man, Billy Lee Coram, after video showed to Coram drowning. with seat belt. Coram was being transferred from a hospital to the jail in Craighead County.
Jonesboro Police Chief Rick Elliott previously told NBC News that he became aware of the video after receiving a complaint from the county sheriff’s office.
“The seriousness of the allegation required immediate action,” the department said in a statement in August, the same day Elliott said he became aware of the video. “Following an internal review of the incident, it was determined that the officer involved, Joseph Harris, should be terminated effective immediately.”
No phone number for Harris was listed. He did not immediately respond to messages sent to the email addresses listed in his name. It is unclear if he has an attorney. His next court appearance will be February 28.
In the nearly 12-minute video, Coram, who was wearing a hospital gown and socks, suffocated with a seat belt around his neck while the car was moving. After the car stopped, Harris opened the door and punched and elbowed Coram several times in the face while untying the seat belt from around his neck. Harris also slammed the car door on Coram’s head.
