Maryland Police Officer Johnnie Riley Guilty of Assault in Shooting of Handcuffed Suspect

A jury found a District Heights, Md., police officer guilty in the shooting of a handcuffed suspect in the back.

Sgt. Johnnie Riley was convicted of first- and second-degree assault, use of a handgun during the commission of a crime of violence, and misconduct in officer. The jury acquitted him of attempted second-degree murder. The judge dismissed an attempted first-degree murder charge at the end of the trial.

Kalvin Kyle was riding a stolen motorcycle when Riley pulled him over in September 2012. He was handcuffed and placed in the back of a squad car but got out and started to run away. Riley fired, hitting Kyle in the back and leaving him paralyzed from the waist down.

"By convicting Mr. Riley, the citizens have said that it is not acceptable to shoot a person in the back, even a fleeing thief, when they are handcuffed and running away from you, posing no immediate threat, and we agree with their decision," Prince George's County State's Attorney Angela Alsobrooks said.

After four days of testimony, closing arguments were presented Thursday. The jury did not reach a decision Thursday and reconvened Tuesday.

Sentencing was set for July 30. Riley remains free on $100,000 bond despite the prosecution's request bond be revoked. The judge ordered him to surrender his passport within 48 hours.

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