Advertisement Both sides rest in Millvale police officer's stun gun trial Nicole Murphy repeatedly stunned handcuffed suspect; lawyer says she was justified Share Shares Copy Link Copy

A federal jury will begin deliberating Wednesday to decide if a now-suspended police officer violated a man's civil rights by shocking him with a Taser three times while he was handcuffed and in custody at Millvale police headquarters.In closing arguments Tuesday, prosecutor Cindy Chung told the jury that Officer Nicole Murphy used the Taser -- as seen in a video recorded by a fellow officer -- because she was annoyed and frustrated with Thomas Smith, a handcuffed prisoner with a mental health history who was drunk and banging his own head against police office furniture.Chung, an attorney with the Justice Department's civil rights division, told jurors that it was unreasonable excessive force for Murphy to stun Smith once, let alone three times, and that Murphy violated Smith's rights. Chung said that Smith kicked Murphy once while he was being stunned, not before. The prosecution noted that Murphy's partner denies her claim Smith was attacking him at any point.Defense attorney Robert Stewart told the jury that the community of Millvale and good police officers everywhere call for justice for Murphy, and that Murphy herself cries out for justice. He argued that justice in this is a verdict of not guilty.Stewart said that Murphy "did what she was trained to do and did it appropriately." He said that Murphy was kicked and Smith was getting violent.The defense ridiculed Murphy's partner, Officer Casey Bonincontro, who shot the video and testified against her. Stewart said the other officer just sat there while Murphy did her job.If found guilty of violating Smith's civil rights, Murphy could face a sentence of up to 10 years in prison. She would no longer be able to work in law enforcement, even if she was not sentenced to prison, because the charge is a felony.