A jury in November found Melendez guilty of assault with intent to do great bodily harm and misconduct of office for beating Floyd Dent, 58. The sentence handed down by Evans fell way below the 29 to 57 months called for by guidelines, the Associated Press reported. A parole board will decide whether Melendez is eligible for release after 13 months, the wire service reported.

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Video from Dent’s violent January arrest, which first became public in March when it was aired by WDIV-TV, shows officers pulling Dent out of his vehicle, dragging him onto the pavement, punching him repeatedly in the head and using a stun gun three times.

[This video contains footage that some may find disturbing]

Evans described the arrest as “dirty” and filthy,” and Melendez’s actions as “barbaric” and “cowardly,” according to MLive.

“The way you denigrated that man … you think no one would care about a lone black man. Boy, were you wrong,” Evans said, the Detroit News reported.

She added: “Only you and God can change your character,” CBS Detroit reported.

At the time of the arrest, police alleged Dent threatened officers when he opened his car door, WDIV-TV reported. According to the arrest report, police wrote that Dent ran a stop sign and didn’t immediately pull over. He was charged with resisting arrest, which was later dropped. Wayne County prosecutor Kym Worthy said in April she was also dropping a cocaine possession charge against Dent “in the best interests of justice.”

Melendez, 47, was fired from the force after the video went public. Dent had to be hospitalized for his injuries, which included broken ribs and blood on his brain

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“To Mr. Dent and his family, I am truly sorry that this has caused undue hardships in your personal life,” Melendez said in court Tuesday, the Detroit Free Press reported. “And if you have any animosity towards law enforcement, that was not my intention.”

James Thomas, an attorney for Melendez, said they were going to appeal, the newspaper reported.

Dent reached a $1.4 million settlement with the city of Inkster last year. In court Tuesday, a family member read a statement from Dent to the court.