A former officer with the Meridian Police Department has pleaded guilty to using excessive force against a man during a vehicle stop and arrest, The Justice Department announced on Wednesday.  

The incident occurred on July 16, 2018. Former Meridian Police Chief Benny Dubose said at the time that the incident began as a shoplifting report at the Walmart on Highway 19.

According to court documents and statements made in court, former MPD officer Daniel Starks shoved the victim twice as he was getting handcuffed by another officer and then unlawfully used his taser against the victim, even though the victim was compliant and handcuffed, the DOJ said in a news release.

As a result of the tasing, the victim immediately fell to the ground and groaned in pain, his hands restrained behind his back and unable to break his fall. While the victim was still on the ground, Starks pointed the taser at him and demanded that he stand up or else he would be tased again.

Starks was initially suspended without pay, and then he was terminated from the police department. 

“It’s unfortunate that that has happened, for everybody involved,” Meridian Mayor Jimmie Smith said on Wednesday. “It’s really, really unfortunate. I hate that it happened, and, you know, I guess we’ll be going forward with dealing with these situations.”

He would like Meridian Police Department to provide officers with proper training on how to handle these situations.

“I think we got to concentrate on making sure that our officers are trained to properly effect arrests in that kind of situation,” he said.

“Our guys are supposed to serve and protect, and that’s what’s very important,” he added. “We’re not supposed to overreach, and it’s obvious that the officer in that situation overreached.”

Assistant Attorney General Kristen Clarke of the Department of Justice’s Civil Rights Division said in a statement that law enforcement officials who violate people’s federal civil rights “are not above the law.”

“This defendant is being held accountable for exceeding his authority and his power when he violated the victim’s civil rights,” Clarke said. “The Civil Rights Division will continue to investigate and prosecute cases involving police officers who willfully violate the constitutional rights of others.”

“Those who abuse their positions of power will be prosecuted according to the law,” said Acting U.S. Attorney Darren J. LaMarca for the Southern District of Mississippi. “This defendant chose to violate his duty and the law, the very law he swore to uphold, by his wanton and violent act against the victim. Justice is served.”

A sentencing hearing is scheduled for Oct. 26. Starks faces a statutory maximum punishment of 10 years in prison and a $250,000 fine.

This case was investigated by the Jackson Division of the FBI. Assistant U.S. Attorney Chris Wansley of the Southern District of Mississippi and Special Litigation Counsel Julia Gegenheimer and Trial Attorney Cameron Bell of the Civil Rights Division are prosecuting the case.