Police release footage detailing 2015 excessive force incident that led to officer’s indictment

AP Photo/John Locher

“Who the hell do you think you’re talking to?” said former Metro Police Officer Richard Scavone to a woman he suspected was engaging in prostitution after putting her in handcuffs. “Who are you talking to? You talking to me?”

During the Jan. 6, 2015 incident, Scavone grabbed her by her neck, shoved her to the ground, struck her in the forehead with an open palm, grabbed her by her head and slammed her face against the hood of his cruiser, at one point pulling her hair with his right hand as he pushes her head against the vehicle with the other hand.

The encounter led to an indictment against Scavone by a federal grand jury two months later, Metro said. He was fired that September.

After pleading guilty on Thursday for assaulting a handcuffed person in his custody, Scavone, 50, faces up to a year behind bars and a fine up to $100,000, according to the office of the U.S. attorney for the district of Nevada.

“Scavone admitted that he took those actions without legal justification and that he knew his actions were against the law,” U.S. Attorney Steven Myhre’s office said Friday in a news release.

On Friday evening, Metro made public the profanity-laced footage of the incident captured on Scavone’s body camera for the first time.

The incident occurred about 5 a.m. in a hotel parking lot near Tropicana Avenue and Interstate 15, officials said. Scavone suspected the woman of loitering there for prostitution-related purposes. Charges she faced were later dropped.

It began when Scavone encountered Amanda Vizcarrondo-Ortiz talking on the phone and holding a cup of coffee, officials said. When he told her to “move along,” she said she was waiting on someone and threw the cup to the ground.

Stun gun in hand, Scavone got out of his vehicle and while he’s putting her in handcuffs, she told him she can’t put her palms together because he’s holding her hands. “That’s it; that’s it” Scavone tells her, and his aggression towards her begins, and escalates.

The footage shows that Scavone grabs the woman by her neck and pushes her head against the hood of the cruiser. When Scavone grabs around the area of her breasts, searching for her phone and other belongings, and she argues back and he again pushes her face against the vehicle, this time pulling her hair.

Vizcarrondo-Ortiz filed a federal civil rights lawsuit against Metro, Scavone, and his partner—a corrections officer who was on a ride-along—and last year was awarded a $200,000 settlement.

The U.S. Attorney’s Office is committed to protecting the civil rights of all Nevada citizens, regardless of their backgrounds,” said Acting U.S. Attorney Myhre in the news release. “The defendant took an oath to serve and protect with honor and integrity. Misconduct such as this will not be tolerated and those who break the law will be held accountable for their actions.”

“As Mr. Scavone realized today, no one is above the law,” said FBI Special Agent in Charge Aaron Rouse in the release. “Law enforcement takes an oath to protect and serve our communities. We are, and rightfully should be, held to a higher standard.”

The FBI and Metro investigated the case, officials said. Scavone will be sentenced on Jan. 11.