Ex-officer sentenced to five years in jail for violent arrest of 73-year-old woman

Almost two years after violently arresting a 73-year-old lady with dementia, former Colorado police officer Austin Hopp was sentenced to five years in prison on Thursday as part of a plea settlement to lessen his jail time. The June 2020 arrest left Karen Garner with a broken arm, sprained wrist and separated shoulder, CBS Denver reported.

In Larimer County Court docket in early March, Hopp pleaded responsible to an assault charge that was punishable by 2 to 8 years in jail. That prevented the minimum 10 to 30 or extra years in jail he would have faced with a trial and conviction.

Hopp first encountered Garner after being dispatched to a report of an tried theft at a Loveland Walmart, in keeping with CBS Denver. Garner, who has dementia, allegedly tried to steal less than $15 value of products from the store. When confronted by Walmart employees, she returned the objects and walked out of the shop.

Body digital camera footage from Hopp confirmed the officer approaching Garner as she walked home. Carrying a wildflower in her hand, she failed to adjust to a number of orders to cease. Hopp is then seen grabbing Garner by the arm and forcefully taking her to the ground, CBS Denver reported.

As fellow officer Daria Jalali responded to the scene, Hopp allegedly separated Garner's shoulder by forcing her arm behind her again and up close to her shoulder blades, CBS Denver said. An audible pop is heard on the digicam, something Hopp acknowledged hearing in footage later launched by Loveland police.

Garner was taken to a holding facility at the Loveland Police Department, the place she complained a number of occasions about having accidents, CBS Denver reported. She was allegedly compelled to sit in a holding cell with out medical consideration for hours, even after Hopp, Jalali and another workers have been heard on safety footage acknowledging that she could have accidents.

After a short investigation, Hopp resigned from the Loveland Police Department, as did Jalali. Each had been arrested and charged with crimes related to Garner's arrest.

As first reported by CBS Denver, the Larimer County District Legal professional's Office elected to maneuver ahead with a plea agreement in opposition to the will of the Garner family. The household felt the video within the case proved Hopp was guilty on all counts beyond an inexpensive doubt.