By C1 Staff
CINCINNATI, Ohio — Three former Lawrence County correctional officers were acquitted Friday of charges of an inappropriate use of force involving an inmate.
FOX News reports that the jury deliberated for three days before coming back and clearing the men of all charges.
In the incident, which was captured on video, the officers struggle with an inmate identified as Larry Kinstler.
Cincinnati News, FOX19-WXIX TV
“When I first saw the video, I thought, wow, this doesn’t look very good,” said the officers’ attorney.
But the jury believed the officers’ explanation that the man came into the jail belligerent and noncompliant to the officers’ orders.
“[Kinstler] was handcuffed but his arms are still weapons,” the attorney argued. “When he’s on the ground, his legs are still weapons, his teeth are weapons. Police officers don’t have to wait to get hurt.
“They’re allowed to take appropriate action in anticipation of somebody doing something [to hurt them]. While it’s not pretty, this was not an inappropriate use of force.”