Former
Des Moines police officers now face state charges stemming from 2008 traffic
stop
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DES
MOINES, Iowa — Polk County prosecutors have filed charges against two former
Des Moines police officers accused of assaulting a man during a traffic stop in
2008.
Former
officers Mersed Dautovic and John Mailander have been charged with willful
injury, felonious misconduct in office and perjury, according to The Des Moines
Register (http://dmreg.co/Hxbz85 ).
The
former officers are accused of beating Octavius Bonds with a baton during the
traffic stop. Bonds and Erin Evans, the driver of the car, sued the city, which
paid $500,000 last September to settle the case.
Three
months later, Dautovic and Mailander were indicted in federal court for
obstructing justice and violating Bonds' civil rights. Mailander soon pleaded
guilty to the obstruction of justice charge and faces up to 20 years in prison.
Dautovic, whose federal case is still pending, faces up to 30 years in prison
if convicted.
Two
weeks ago, Polk County prosecutors quietly added the new state charges. Both
men each face up to 20 years in prison on the state charges.
Court
documents say Dautovic and Mailander came up behind Evans' and Bonds' car on
Sept. 13, 2008, with lights and sirens on while on their way to an emergency
call. When that call was canceled, the officers stopped Evans' car to ask why
she hadn't pulled over.
Evans
reportedly did not immediately roll down her window and was slow to produce
identification and was eventually threatened with pepper spray, pulled from the
car and handcuffed.
The
documents say Bonds was pepper-sprayed when he got out of the car, then beaten
by both officers with batons, even when he was on the ground.
Bonds
suffered fractures that required metal plating in various parts of his body and
a head injury that required eight staples, according to the court documents.