DC Officer Pleads Guilty to Protester Assault

Protester struck with riot baton during Bush inauguration

WASHINGTON -- A District of Columbia police officer pleaded guilty to assaulting an unarmed protester during President George W. Bush's 2005 inauguration.
 
Christopher Huxoll pleaded guilty Friday to one count of aggravated assault, according to the U.S. Attorney's Office. He faces up to 10 years in prison.
 
Huxoll, an 18-year member of the D.C. police force, was on duty in Adams Morgan where some marchers were vandalizing the area, prosecutors said.
 
In his plea, Huxoll admitted he threw a man to the ground, thinking the man had thrown bottles at police. Huxoll said even though the man did not resist and was not aggressive, he grabbed the protester by the head and struck him in the face with his riot baton.
 
Huxoll's sentencing is set for March 6.
 
Copyright AP - Associated Press
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