A former Northwoods, Missouri police officer was sentenced on Apr. 28 to 10 years in prison for the assault of a handcuffed man in 2023.
Jurors found Samuel Davis, 28, guilty of one count of deprivation of rights under color of law, one count of witness tampering by way of misleading conduct for making a misleading statement to a police dispatcher, and one count of falsifying records in a federal investigation for turning off his body-worn camera.
“Today’s sentence reflects the seriousness of the defendant’s crime,” said Harmeet K. Dhillon, Assistant Attorney General of the Civil Rights Division. “Law enforcement officers are given immense public trust to discharge their vital duties. We will hold accountable those who violate that trust and abuse their authority.”
U.S. Attorney Thomas C. Albus said, “Civil rights crimes by police erode the public’s trust in law enforcement. We will continue to hold law enforcement officers to high standards and protect the civil rights of all people.”
Special Agent in Charge Chris Crocker of the FBI St. Louis Division said, “Samuel Davis flagrantly violated the law he swore to uphold. The victim complied with officers’ commands and was already in handcuffs, yet Davis still chose to beat and tase him. Every law enforcement officer has a duty to enforce the law while safeguarding the constitutional rights and dignity of every person. Davis’ actions betrayed that responsibility and undermined the public trust that officers work tirelessly to earn. That is why the FBI remains steadfast in investigating allegations of excessive force and holding those who abuse their authority accountable.”
Northwoods police were called on July 4, 2023, about C.G., a man accused of shoplifting at Walgreens who was known to Davis. After handcuffing C.G., evidence showed Davis turned off his body-worn camera before driving him instead to an empty field where he pepper-sprayed him, struck him repeatedly with a metal baton causing serious injuries including a broken jaw, used his Taser when spotted by a passerby, threatened C.G., then falsely told dispatchers that C.G. had not been present at Walgreens.
According to testimony at trial and statements made during sentencing proceedings by Trial Attorney Taylor Payne from the Civil Rights Division’s Criminal Section, Davis beat C.G., who was smaller than him and left without means for help after being abandoned following threats not to return.
The case was investigated by both the FBI and St. Louis County Police Department; it was prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Christine Krug for Eastern District Missouri along with Payne from DOJ’s Civil Rights Division’s Criminal Section.
The U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of Missouri investigates federal crimes—including civil rights violations—and serves 49 counties using facilities such as Thomas F. Eagleton U.S Courthouse in St. Louis; it operates under Department of Justice guidelines, according to its official website.