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A former Colorado police officer has been sentenced to five years in prison for the violent arrest of a 73-year-old woman with dementia. The elderly woman suffered a broken arm, sprained wrist and dislocated shoulder during the arrest.
Karen Garner visited a grocery store in Loveland in June 2020 where she purchased items for $14. However, according to her lawyer, she forgot to pay due to her memory impairment. Although store staff recovered the items from the woman, the police were called. The septuagenarian was stopped on the road by police officer Austin Hopp as she was walking home. Because she refused to follow his orders – probably because she didn’t understand them – he threw her down to handcuff her.
Footage of the violent arrest caused a stir at the time, especially as CCTV footage taken moments later at the police station showed Austin Hopp and other colleagues laughing as they reenacted the scene.
The officer pleaded guilty to assault during his trial and apologized to the Garner family. According to Judge Michelle Brinegar, it was not just a mistake, but that of a young cop who abused his position of power and authority.
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