Trimboli & Prusinowski, LLC, attorneys for respondent City of Trenton . A number of officers went around to the other side of the fence, including one officer equipped with a body camera. Aerotek Mark Anthony Villanueva Each man did not speak other than to acknowledge the judge when she advised them of their right to remain silent. Our journalism needs your support. It burns. Official websites use .gov Video footage from inside police lockup showed the entire struggle, beginning in the phone room when Villanueva attempted to end a call Singletary was on with relatives after he was arrested and taken to headquarters on a warrant. On Tuesday, Villanueva was arrested by the FBI at his home. EXCLUSIVE: Ex-Valley Forge Military Academy Cadet Speaks To CBS3 About Alleged Verbal, Physical Abuse At Hands Of Students. He plans to appeal to the state Supreme Court. The incident was recorded on other officers body cams. Villanueva filed 14 use-of-force reports in a two-year period, higher than the statewide average of 4.1 use-of-force reports per officer over a five-year period, according to NJ.coms reporting on statewide use-of-force records. provided by mercer county prosecutors office, Chanzie Washington's mugshot after being arrested April 9, 2017. A Trenton police officer and a former colleague accused of assaulting a man they were arresting have both been charged with obstruction of justice and violating the man's civil rights Skip to content Sunday, December 25, 2022 You're all set! Swung his arm around his neck and brought him to the ground, he said. Div. One part of the video shows Inman punching the suspect before bragging to the person recording the video, saying, I beat the living sh*t he stops when the other officer points to his body camera. They are charged with violating Washington's civil rights and falsifying police. He didnt have a taser, he said. While the man was complying with further police commands, Villanueva approached the man and punched him in the face and Inman tackled the man to the ground. Trenton Police Officer Drew Inman and ex-officer Anthony Villanueva are accused of assaulting a man who was complying with their demands. Sounds likeVillanueva was under the misconception that police solidarity may is the same if you are a person of color. The lawsuit faults Parrey, who is no longer police director, for not flagging Villanuevas pattern of unreasonable force.. All Rights Reserved. The FBI was investigating Inman, former TPD officer Anthony Villanueva, and Mark Kieffer III in connection with the April 2017 arrest of Chanzie Washington. Trenton Police Officer Drew Inman, 25, of Hamilton, New Jersey, and former Trenton Police Officer Anthony Villanueva, 25, of Ewing, New Jersey, are charged in a six-count indictment that was returned by a federal grand jury on April 18, 2019, and unsealed today. The man who the officers arrested is no longer in jail and his eluding and obstruction charges were later dropped. FAX: 609-989-2275. They cannot resort to excessive force in performing their duties. Villanueva was fired last year and faces a separate federal charge for allegedly pepper spraying a man in a police holding cell. . Trenton Police Officer Drew Inman, 25, of Hamilton, New Jersey, and former Trenton Police Officer Anthony Villanueva, 25, of Ewing, New Jersey, are charged in a six-count indictment. The Trentonian reported on those dustups, both of which were caught on tape. The indictment recounts the chase from start to finish, as Washington ended up at the banks of the Delaware and Raritan Canal. He only had three things. Mayor Reed Gusciora said he was made aware of the arrests but declined to comment beyond that. Villanueva and Inman appeared in federal court Tuesday. Copyright 2023 Interactive One, LLC. The whole scuffle was caught on surveillance cameras and the footage was released to The Trentonian. Search the most comprehensive statewide database of police use of force in the U.S. The video appeared to show Singletary slapping Villanuevas hand away from the phone. Washington and Salaam Felton, now of St. Charles, Missouri, also claimed in separate lawsuits they were beaten to a pulp by Villanueva. Her first official day isnt till May 1. The video includes body cameras from three officers, but not from Villanueva or Inman. The arresting departments are noted: Coweta County Sheriff's Office (CCSO), Chattahoochee Hills Police Department (CHPD . When the police caught him, Washington was brought to the ground, and was then punched several times by three different police officers: Drew Inman, Antony Villanueva andMark Kieffer III. One of the officers, who has since left the Trenton Police Department, is charged with additional civil rights and obstruction counts for allegedly assaulting a second defendant while in a holding cell at Trenton Police Headquarters. Villanueva arrested Felton in March 2017 following a foot pursuit following a reported shooting. Inman and Villanueva then punched the man numerous times, while he cried out in pain, and told officers, stop hitting me in my face, and youve got my hands.. Villanueva is charged with two counts of obstruction, and Inman with one count of obstruction. It isn't entirely clear what is happening in the third video, which was shot from a distance. Villanueva went back to headquarters to help process Washington. Villanueva has several other issues pending from his four years on the Trenton police force, which all occurred in 2017. A Trenton police officer and a former colleague accused of assaulting a man they were arresting have pleaded not guilty to civil rights and obstruction of justice counts. California residents do not sell my data request. The public has an absolute right to trust that law enforcement will protect those they serve and keep them safe. Washington ran from police during a traffic stop and when officers caught up with him at a fence, they ordered him to raise his arms and then climb over the fence, authorities allege. The Trenton Police Department has punished a number of officers accused of conduct unbecoming a public servant since the turn of the century, culminating with the recent firing of patrol. 2023 Advance Local Media LLC. Villanueva maced Singletary while he was inside a cell after a dustup that started when, the cop claimed, Singletary refused to get off the phone. Washington also got decked in the face by a Villanueva haymaker after he appeared to surrender to cops from behind a chain-link fence after a long chase. When that trust is violated, it makes it more difficult for our fellow police officers and federal agents to maintain the community's confidence.. The charges and accusations contained in the indictment are merely accusations, and Inman and Villanueva are presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty. You dont want to come back here. And then you have the old regime supervising these people. In a rare interview with a former cop still facing criminal charges for alleged use of excessive force, NJ Advance Media spoke to Villanueva who said he stands by his actions and followed his training and New Jersey Attorney Generals guidelines on the use of force each time. All Rights Reserved. Villanueva, who was standing on the same side of the chain-link fence, suddenly appeared out of nowhere, the feds alleged. A six-count indictment filed in U.S. District Court in Trenton last week, unsealed Tuesday, charged Villanueva and Inman with deprivation of civil rights under color of law and falsifying police records. The unsecured bonds didnt require the cops or their families to plunk down cash or property to secure their releases, but they are required to show up for arraignment Wednesday morning. A Trenton police officer and a former colleague accused of assaulting a man they were arresting have pleaded not guilty to civil rights and obstruction of justice counts. Hearing Impaired: 973-645-6227 These Valuable Pennies Are Worth Thousands, Pa. Woman Went Missing in 1992 and Declared Dead. Accountability starts from the top.. Investigators say Inman and Villanueva prepared and submitted false and fraudulent reports in order to justify their actions and portray the man as the aggressor and an ongoing threat. However, the lawsuit painted Singletary as a blameless victim. Both Villanueva and Inman were charged in April 2019 with aiding and abetting each other in depriving the civil rights of Chanzie Washington in April 2017. Almost immediately thereafter, defendant Villanueva strode quickly down the corridor after victim 2, towards Cell 7, carrying a can of Oleoresin Capsicum, also known as OC spray or pepper spray., It goes on to say Villanueva reached through the bars and sprayed OC spray into Cell 7, while victim 2 attempted to shield himself with a mattress.. Incidents like these erode the publics confidence in law enforcement, and make policing harder for everyone whose job it is to keep our communities safe., Civil Rights violations are of great concern, particularly when the allegations involve a member of law enforcement, FBI Newark Special Agent in Charge Gregory W. Ehrie said. Get free summaries of new New Jersey Superior Court, Appellate Division - Unpublished Opinions opinions delivered to your inbox! TRENTON - A third man who says he was beat up by fired Trenton cop Anthony Villanueva has finally filed suit against the former cop and ex-police director Ernest Parrey Jr., who is. This site is protected by reCAPTCHA and the Google, New Jersey Superior Court, Appellate Division - Unpublished Opinions, New Jersey Superior Court, Appellate Division - Unpublished Opinions Decisions. Inman, who was creeping from behind, tackled Washington to the ground as both officers repeatedly punched him while he screamed out in pain, Stop hitting me in the face, and youve got my hands, according to the indictment. Inman and Kieffer III are white and Villanueva is Hispanic. That case is pending in federal court. Police Department Kanifah M. Wood, Trenton Police Department Eric W. Woodrow, West Windsor Police Department. Quaree Singletary, of Ewing, claims he was physically assaulted by Villanueva in lockup at Trenton Police headquarters on Nov. 28, 2017, and suffers from serious bodily injuries to his brain, head, face and body.. A New Jersey appeals court has affirmed the 2018 firing of a Trenton police officer terminated for pepper spraying a suspect inside a jail cell. Personally, its devastating to him, Hes got a family. U.S. Attorney's Office, District of New Jersey, Two Trenton Police Officers Charged with Civil Rights Violations, Obstruction of Justice, U.S. Attorneys Office Reaches Settlement with Ocean County Nail Salon to End Disability Discrimination, Statement Of U.S. Attorney Philip R. Sellinger, Former Hillsborough Township School District Official Admits To Paying Kickbacks For Illegal Overtime Payments, Two Trenton Police Officers Charged With Civil Rights Violations, Obstruction of Justice. The former officer and his attorney, George Dougherty, then went to the state courts Appellate Division, which on Thursday sided with the OAL judges 40-page decision. The department found Villanueva violated policy, and charged him internally with conduct unbecoming a public employee and misconduct for the improper use of the spray, and later submitting a false report about the incident. 2019 CBS Broadcasting Inc. All Rights Reserved. Trenton Police Officer Drew Inman and ex-officer Anthony Villanueva are accused of assaulting a man who was complying with their demands. Trenton attorney Robin Lord represents Washington, Singletary and a third man, Saalam Felton, in separate lawsuits.