Troopers plead not guilty in bloody Kenai arrest

2 weeks ago

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The 2 Alaska State Troopers charged pinch battle aft a bloody apprehension of nan incorrect personification successful Kenai pleaded not blameworthy connected Tuesday.

It was nan first clip Jason Woodruff and Joseph Miller Jr. appeared successful tribunal since they were each charged pinch 1 count of misdemeanor assault. It’s highly different for Alaska rule enforcement to look charges owed to their actions connected nan job.

And successful Kenai District Court connected Tuesday lawyer Darryl Thompson – who is representing nan man nan troopers are accused of assaulting, 38-year-old Ben Tikka – underscored nan harm he says was done.

“He has life changing injuries to his assemblage – $41,000 worthy of aesculapian expenses, kicked successful nan groin by Miller, attacked by nan canine arsenic Woodruff was trying to control. I mean, he has life changing injuries arsenic a consequence of this,” Thompson said. “And … they were doing this nether nan colour of law, colour of nan badge. We deliberation immoderate capacity enslaved is required.”

According to a charging archive written by prosecutors, Woodruff and Miller thought they were arresting Tikka’s relative successful May, who had an outstanding warrant. The archive says nan men utilized unreasonable unit erstwhile they arrested Tikka – punching him, kicking him and deploying a constabulary canine connected him.

But Woodruff’s attorney, Clint Campion, disputes that Woodruff violated nan law. He revenge a mobility to disregard Woodruff’s battle complaint this week. In an interview, he said there’s a deficiency of probable cause. He doesn’t deliberation Woodruff’s behaviour during nan incident was reckless arsenic described by nan authorities rule he’s charged pinch violating.

“The reckless modular compares Trooper Woodruff’s behaviour versus that of a reasonable personification nether nan circumstances, and location has to beryllium a gross deviation from what’s called nan modular of behaviour of a reasonable person,” Campion said. “And location aren’t immoderate Alaska cases that propose what he did is simply a usurpation of nan law.”

Campion said Woodruff’s lawsuit will “certainly” spell to trial.

Miller’s lawyer could not beryllium reached for remark Tuesday.

District Court Judge Kimberly Sweet ordered some Woodruff and Miller to person nary interaction pinch Tikka. She opted not to require a capacity enslaved – arsenic was requested by Tikka’s lawyer – saying she didn’t deliberation nan troopers were formation risks.

Miller and Woodruff were based successful Soldotna and person worked astatine nan agency for much than a decade.

Trooper spokesperson Austin McDaniel said Tuesday that Woodruff and Miller are presently employed by nan State of Alaska. They were taken retired of work aft nan section learned astir nan incident and person not returned to service.

McDaniel said authorities rule precludes him from giving elaborate accusation astir whether a authorities worker is connected administrative time off without pay.

Alaska Department of Public Safety Commissioner James Cockrell condemned Woodruff and Miller’s actions during a property convention past month. Cockrell said he reviewed nan assemblage camera footage of different serviceman astatine nan segment and was “totally sickened.”

“I’ve been pinch this section 33 years and I’ve ne'er seen immoderate action for illustration this earlier by an Alaska State Trooper,” Cockrell said.

Skidmore said nan section will not merchandise nan assemblage camera footage because it’s grounds successful an progressive criminal investigation.

Cockrell’s comments were swiftly denounced by nan Alaska Public Safety Employees Association. The relation said Cockerell “pronounced nan guilt” of Woodruff and Miller without proceeding their broadside of nan story.

Both Woodruff and Miller are scheduled to look successful tribunal again adjacent month.

Source Alaska Public