Black Asheville residents, officials criticize sentence of officer convicted of assault

[Demovictory9]

the victim received $650,000.

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ASHEVILLE - The unusual sentence of an officer convicted in a high-profile assault is facing criticism from black officials and residents who say his jail-less punishment is another example of systemic bias.

"What message does that send to the population that is telling you time and time again that there are officers out there who don’t deserve to be officers?" said City Councilman Keith Young, one of several officials and residents to criticize the sentence of ex-officer Christopher Hickman after he pleaded guilty to choking a black pedestrian. That criticism came quickly the day of the Aug. 9 sentencing in Buncombe County Superior Court.

Hickman, who is white, was given no jail time. Instead, he will serve 12 months' probation for the felony assault and two misdemeanors — communicating threats and assault inflicting serious injury — and participate in a first-of-its-kind restorative justice program. If he completes all requirements, his charges will be dismissed and possibly expunged.

https://www.citizen-times.com/story/news/local/2019/08/09/black-residents-officials-criticize-christopher-hickmans-sentence/1969941001/

The plea deal was arranged by District Attorney Todd Williams and Hickman's attorney, Thomas Amburgey. The victim, Johnnie Rush, who was beaten, shocked and choked after an Aug. 24, 2017, confrontation over alleged jaywalking, agreed to the sentence, according to his attorney, well-known civil rights lawyer James "Fergie" Ferguson.

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Amburgey said Hickman has suffered weekly death threats and been turned away from restaurants because of publicity around the case, which came largely from a leaked police body camera video. His client has also lost work because of the charges, Amburgey said.

The plea deal headed off a potential decision by a judge to move the trial to a county where where there had been less publicity and where it would be easier for jurors to be impartial. That could have meant a more rural county with different attitudes about policing, a situation Williams said would have been more favorable to Hickman and less to Rush.

[MagickMuffin]

1. Enforcers are above the law

And they can be as racist as they wanttobe.

[pecosbob]

2. Pretty effed up when you need a first offenders program for the effing police!!!

[Demovictory9]

3. lol. yeah