2 cops plead guilty in park stomping Veteran Bridgeport officers face up to a year in prison

A screen grab from a video, posted on YouTube on Jan. 6, 2013, showing three Bridgeport, Conn. police officers kicking a man in Beardsley Park on May 20, 2011. Officers Elson Morales, Joseph Lawlor and Clive Higgins were put on the paid administrative leave Jan.18, 2013 pending an investigation of the incident by the city's Office of Internal Affairs. The man, who has not been identified, is lying on the ground after being Tasered by one of the officers when two of the officers begin kicking him. A third officer then gets out of his patrol car and walks over to where the other two are still kicking the man and then he too begins kicking him. less A screen grab from a video, posted on YouTube on Jan. 6, 2013, showing three Bridgeport, Conn. police officers kicking a man in Beardsley Park on May 20, 2011. Officers Elson Morales, Joseph Lawlor and Clive ... more Photo: Contributed Photo Photo: Contributed Photo Image 1 of / 20 Caption Close 2 cops plead guilty in park stomping 1 / 20 Back to Gallery

BRIDGEPORT -- Two veteran city cops, caught on video in what has been called the most flagrant act of police brutality in city history, face up to a year in prison after pleading guilty Tuesday to civil-rights violations.

After a video went viral showing veteran Officers Joseph Lawlor, Elson Morales and Clive Higgins kicking and stomping a prone Orlando Lopez-Soto on a spring afternoon in 2011 inBeardsley Park, the National Association for the Advancement of Colored People and other community groups held protests and demanded justice.

But it was in a very quiet federal courtroom that first Morales and then Lawlor pleaded guilty to one count each of depriving a person of their civil rights -- a misdemeanor -- before U.S. District Judge Jeffrey Meyer, ending a year of social turbulence in the city.

Under the plea bargain, the officers each face up to a year in prison when they are sentenced Sept. 2. As a condition of the plea they have agreed to resign from the Police Department. They had been on paid administrative duty pending the investigation. Both are eligible to collect pensions from the city.

"Their actions were appalling and the judicial system has to send a strong message that police officers should be held to a higher standard and this conduct will be dealt with swiftly and severely," said state NAACP President Scot X Esdaile.

Police Chief Joseph L. Gaudett Jr. said the Bridgeport Police Department cooperated with the federal authorities since the video surfaced.

"As chief, I am satisfied with the outcome of the criminal prosecution and with the fact that these individuals will no longer serve as Bridgeport police officers," Gaudett said. "Their actions are not reflective of the good work done day-in and day-out by the overwhelming majority of the men and women of the Bridgeport Police Department. The Bridgeport Police Department will continue to cooperate fully with the federal authorities until they conclude their investigation."

By pleading guilty, the officers avoided indictment, Morales' lawyer, Michael Fitzpatrick said.

"Although there was a reasonable explanation for some of the actions depicted in the video, the case as a whole was too emotionally charged for my client to risk the potential consequences of an indictment and trial," Fitzpatrick said.

Officer Clive Higgins has not yet been charged in the incident, and his lawyer, Edward Gavin, declined comment.

Bridgeport Mayor Bill Finch said in a statement that the incident was an aberration.

"Every single day, hundreds of hardworking police officers across Bridgeport keep our streets safe and secure, and do so in an honorable manner," Finch said. "But this isolated incident stands in stark contrast, and the actions by these officers are unacceptable. That's why I'm glad we're seeing some resolve in this case, and that these two officers are paying a price for their violation of the public trust."

On the video, recorded May 20, 2011, by a passer-by but not released to YouTube until January 2013, Orlando Lopez-Soto, 28, is seen running from the right side of the frame when the electrical sound of a stun gun is heard. Lopez-Soto falls face down in the grass and officers Joseph Lawlor and Elson Morales run up to him and begin kicking and stomping on him.

Higgins then pulls up in his patrol car, gets out, and leaning on Morales for support, also begins kicking Lopez-Soto.

Despite the now viral video showing him stomping a prone man on the back and head, Lawlor, 41, steadfastly refused to admit what he had done to the federal judge Tuesday or apologize for his actions.

"My physical contact might have been more than the law allowed," Lawlor told U.S. District Judge Jeffrey Meyers.

"Might have been?" the judge retorted.

"I, I, I, unnecessarily struck him once," Lawlor resumed. "Because of adrenaline, anger, the danger he put me in. I was angry with the guy for the danger he put everybody in."

"Everybody in the room can see the point in time where Mr. Lawlor's actions became unlawful," added his lawyer, John R. Gulash.

Morales, 43, was more candid with the judge. "I apologize," he told the judge. "When he (Lopez-Soto) fell on the ground he had his hands behind him and I Tased him unnecessarily."

Both men, 12-year veterans of the police department, told the judge they started undergoing counseling after the video surfaced in January 2013, worried they were going to be prosecuted. Gulash said Lawlor was out sick the last four days from the police department because he was so stressed about what was going to happen.

Lopez-Soto, who did not suffer major injuries from the incident, is serving a five-year prison term after being found guilty of criminal possession of a firearm, possession of narcotics with intent to sell and failure to appear in court for the crime that led to the chase by the officers. The city recently agreed to pay him $198,000 to settle his civil-rights lawsuit against the cit,y but much of that is expected to be spent to reimburse the state for his incarceration.

The plea hearing almost didn't take place.

Halfway through the hearing the judge asked if the victim had been told about the plea agreement. After a long pause, Assistant U.S. Attorney Anastasia King said she had talked to his lawyers but not Lopez-Soto. The judge then recessed the hearing.

But an hour later, the sides were back before the judge. Robert Berke, Lopez-Soto's lawyer, told the judge his client had been informed and had no objection to the plea bargain.

Lawlor and Morales had been riding in their patrol car shortly after 5 p.m. on May 20 when they attempted to pull over a red van, which drove off at high speed, turned into Beardsley Park and eventually became stuck in high grass, the police report stated.

Lopez-Soto leaped from the driver's door of the van, jumped on the hood of the police car and ran, the report said.

"Myself and Officer Morales gave chase on foot and yelled to Lopez-Soto to stop or he would be Tased, but he continued running," Lawlor said in his report. "Fearing that he might have a gun, Officer Morales deployed his department-issued Taser and fired one shot at Lopez-Soto, striking him in the back. He immediately stopped running and fell face-first to the ground."

Lawlor said he grabbed Lopez-Soto's right arm and attempted to place it behind his back, but Lopez-Soto struggled with him, trying to get off the ground. Morales then used a stun gun on Lopez-Soto again.

Lawlor states he then handcuffed Lopez-Soto, who had a gun holster on his belt. The officers stated they then searched the van and found a loaded handgun on the floor, along with plastic bags containing suspected drugs.

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