Female Pa. cop on trial for Tasering drunk suspect was wrong, ex-partner testifies


Millvale, Pa., police officer Nicole Murphy was wrong in repeatedly Tasering a drunk, handcuffed suspect, her ex-partner testified. (YouTube)
John Luciew
   The lead prosecution witness in a federal trail for a suspended Pa. police officer was none other than her ex-partner. But there was no thin blue line on this case.
The officer testified that Millvale police officer Nicole Murphy was wrong for thrice Tasering a drunk, handcuffed suspect.
According to WTAE in Pittsburgh, Officer Casey Bonincontro told the federal jury in the civil rights case tha
In addition, Bonincontro was identified as the person who recorded a cellphone video of Murphy using a Taser on the handcuffed, drunken man – the key piece of evidence which garnered media attention and generated public outrage and federal scrutiny in the Allegheny County case.
According to WTAE, Bonincontro testified that Murphy, his former partner, shocked prisoner Thomas Smith three times. But the officer used the words "she assaulted him" to describe in court each of the three times she used the Taser on the suspect.
The officer also described her use of force as excessive and testified that the prisoner was under control, the news station reported.
More from WTAE: Bonincontro testified that the prisoner was a loud nuisance, hitting his own head against various surfaces, but not a threat to police.
Bonincontro told the jury that he didn't criticize Murphy while in the presence of the prisoner or emergency medical technicians but later told her ''that wasn't cool."
If found guilty of violating Smith's civil rights, Murphy could face a sentence of up to 10 years in prison.
If she is found guilty of the felony, she would not be able to work in law enforcement, even if she was not sentenced to prison.