A Connecticut police officer who shocked a shoplifting suspect three times with a stun gun, including when the man was on the ground apologizing, has been charged with third-degree assault and cruelty.
Naugatuck Officer Nicholas Kehoss turned himself in to state police on Monday after an arrest warrant was issued, state police said Tuesday. He is free after posting a $50,000 bond and is due in court on Nov. 8.
Kehoss did not return emails Monday or Tuesday seeking comment.
The officer became the subject of an investigation after a body camera video showed him chasing Jarell Day, 33, of Waterbury, into a field on Oct. 14 and shocking him three times with a stun gun, including when the man was on the ground apologizing.
The video, released Monday also shows Kehoss telling Day to “shut up” and calling him an “idiot” during the arrest.
Police said Day was suspected of stealing $200 worth of beer in a robbery at a Naugatuck grocery store and later rammed police cruisers with a car as he fled from officers. Day crashed the car and fled on foot, but Kehoss caught up to him, according to the video.
Day was showing his hands when Kehoss ordered him to get on the ground and first fired the stun gun, the video shows. Day falls to the ground and Kehoss orders him to get on his stomach. Day rolls onto his side and tells the officer he is sorry, and Kehoss continues to yell at him to get onto his stomach and pulls the stun gun trigger a second time, the video shows.
Kehoss then orders Day to put his hands behind his back, according to the video. Day pleads, “No, no, please,” just before Kehoss pulls the trigger a third time, as the officer warns him that he is going to use the stun gun again, the video shows.
Neither Day nor officers were injured in the series of events.
Day remains in custody on charges from multiple cases, including robbery, attempted assault of a police officer and reckless driving.
Kehoss is on paid leave pending the investigations.
