Two Kansas City police officers indicted in excessive-force case
Two Kansas City police officers have been indicted in a case that alleges the pair used excessive force while trying to arrest a person last year outside a beauty supply store, prosecutors announced on Friday.
The Jackson County Prosecutor’s Office says the officers, identified as Matthew G. Brummett and Charles Prichard, each face a misdemeanor fourth-degree assault charge for “recklessly causing pain” to Breona, or “Briya,” Hill as she was being handcuffed.
The case was placed before a grand jury, which handed up the indictment on Friday. A summons is expected to be issued to each defendant.
The indictment comes nearly a year after the officers arrested 30-year-old Hill during a reported disturbance at the store.
The officers’ attorneys issued a statement saying that the officers “maintain that the force they used was reasonable under the totality of the circumstances.”
Kansas City Police Chief Rick Smith said in a statement that he has placed the officers on administrative assignment while the case is pending.
In a news release Friday night the Fraternal Order of Police called the charges “unjustified” and an example of “politically motivated prosecution.”
Affidavit describes alleged assault during arrest
According to an affidavit signed on Friday by foreperson of the grand jury, Hill was injured as she was being arrested outside the Beauty Essence, Barber and Beauty Supply Store at 1319 Brush Creek Parkway in Kansas City on May 24, 2019.
Officers Brummett, 37, and Prichard, 47, responded to the area in reference to a disturbance at the business.
Brummett met with Hill, who was standing outside, while Prichard talked to the store owner, who told police he called 911 to have Hill removed from the building after a dispute. After speaking to the owner, Prichard exited the store and told Hill she was under arrest.
A passerby witnessed part of the encounter and began recording the incident on his cellphone. The passerby, identified in court records as Roderick Reed, said he started recording after he saw one of the police officers strike the woman with a closed fist.
The video starts out showing Hill lying face down on the concrete while at least one of the officers is kneeling on her back while trying to place Hill’s hands behind her back. Court records said Brummett is then shown slamming Hill’s face onto the concrete two times and then drops his knee and a portion of his body weight on her neck or shoulder area.
After handcuffing Hill, Prichard is heard saying, “we tried to be easy’ and “you made it this way,” court records said.
Hill then cries out for help.
The video goes on to show Brummett stepping on Hill’s hip as Prichard pulls her hands upward as Hill remains still, lying face down on the sidewalk. Prichard is heard telling Hill, “you wanna push more?” “I didn’t push nobody,” Hill cries out. Prichard tells Hill, “Stop it. I’m tired of messing with you,” and while pulling her arms, says “you’re doing it now.”
Court records say Reed, whom officers noticed recording the incident from his vehicle, was issued city traffic tickets for allegedly interfering with Hill’s arrest by recording the incident and blocking traffic.
In February, the officers met with detectives to provide their statements. They said Hill was taken down to the pavement after allegedly resisting arrest, and stated at one point that Hill hit her own head on the sidewalk. They stated they handcuffed Hill but said they continued to struggle with her.
Brummett alleged Hill was “fighting them” and that he believed Hill “would have become assaultive” if they let her go, according to court records. The officers indicated they did not notice injuries on Hill.
Hill was taken to the police department’s east patrol station, where she was issued citations for trespassing, disorderly conduct, resisting arrest and possession of drug paraphernalia.
An ambulance was called eventually to the patrol station for Hill, who had injuries to her face and complained of pain to multiple parts of her body, according to the affidavit, which cited medical records. Photos taken of Hill at the hospital showed she had a cut above her eye, abrasions to multiple areas of the face and dried blood.
On Oct. 14, 2019, in a separate incident, Hill was shot and killed near a home in the 4300 block of Hardesty Avenue. Police at the time identified her as Brianna “BB” Hill. Prosecutors say a defendant has been charged in connection to the shooting.
After the indictment was announced Friday, the prosecutor’s office said the two officers accused of assaulting Hill have been summoned to appear before a judge in August.
On behalf of the officers, attorneys from McCauley & Roach, LLC issued the following statement Friday night, which was distributed by the Fraternal Order of Police Lodge 99:
“Officers Matthew Brummett and Charles Prichard were made aware of the misdemeanor charges late today related to their arrest of Brianna Hill on May 24, 2019. Both officers have fully cooperated with the Department during the entire investigation. They maintain that the force they used was reasonable under the totality of the circumstances. They vehemently dispute the basis of these charges and believe they will be ultimately exonerated in Court.”
Jackson County Prosecutor Jean Peters Baker stated through a news release that her office was “prevented from filing the charge independent of a Grand Jury” after the police department declined to submit a probable cause statement to the prosecutor’s office.
In response to that statement, Smith, the police chief, said the department didn’t submit one because investigators determined there was “no probable cause to conclude the officers broke the law.” However, he said, the entire file was submitted to federal prosecutors, the FBI and the county prosecutor.
“We do that in every matter where someone could possibly allege a civil rights violation,” Smith said in a statement.
“All of us want justice,” he continued. “I ask everyone to keep an open mind and let the fact-finding process go forward.”
In the same statement, Smith announced he was placing the officers on administrative assignment as the case makes its way through the court system.
This story was originally published May 15, 2020 at 9:01 PM.
