27 cases started by Asheville police officer who beat a pedestrian are dropped

ASHEVILLE - District Attorney Todd Williams has dropped 27 cases initiated by the officer involved in the August police beating of a man accused of jaywalking.

And more may come as the DA's office analyzes convictions obtained using Hickman's testimony, Williams said in a Monday announcement.

The former officer, Chris Hickman, could not be considered a credible witness, Williams said.

The cases dropped involved 17 defendants and included some felonies and DWIs, Williams told the Citizen Times.

They did not include any violent felonies or sex offenses, he said.

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Not all cases started by Hickman were dropped.

"These are cases where officer Hickman was the sole and necessary witness, where he was critical to the case," the district attorney said.

Williams did not provide a list of the cases.

Such a list was not immediately available, according to criminal records staff at the Buncombe County Courthouse.

In reviewing convictions that used Hickman's testimony, prosecutors will focus on the dates of Aug. 24 - March 8. That date in late August was the night Hickman stopped Johnnie Rush for what he said was jaywalking and trespassing by walking through the parking lot of a business closed for the night.

Hickman's body camera footage shows the encounter, including after it escalates into a brief chase after which Hickman beats, chokes and stuns Rush.

The former officer was charged Thursday with two counts of assault and one count of communicating threats.

"The DA’s Office will move to set aside convictions in all appropriate cases," Williams said in a statement. "The DA's Office will provide notice to defendants and their lawyers of this policy.



