Ex-officer sentenced to five years in prison for violent arrest of 73-year-old woman

Almost two years after violently arresting a 73-year-old lady with dementia, former Colorado police officer Austin Hopp was sentenced to 5 years in prison on Thursday as part of a plea agreement to lessen his jail time. The June 2020 arrest left Karen Garner with a damaged arm, sprained wrist and separated shoulder, CBS Denver reported.

In Larimer County Courtroom in early March, Hopp pleaded responsible to an assault cost that was punishable by 2 to eight years in prison. That prevented the minimum 10 to 30 or extra years in prison he would have faced with a trial and conviction.

Hopp first encountered Garner after being dispatched to a report of an tried theft at a Loveland Walmart, in accordance with CBS Denver. Garner, who has dementia, allegedly tried to steal lower than $15 price of products from the shop. When confronted by Walmart staff, she returned the gadgets and walked out of the store.

Physique camera footage from Hopp confirmed the officer approaching Garner as she walked residence. Carrying a wildflower in her hand, she didn't comply with a number of orders to cease. Hopp is then seen grabbing Garner by the arm and forcefully taking her to the bottom, CBS Denver reported.

As fellow officer Daria Jalali responded to the scene, Hopp allegedly separated Garner's shoulder by forcing her arm behind her again and up close to her shoulder blades, CBS Denver mentioned. An audible pop is heard on the camera, something Hopp acknowledged listening to in footage later released by Loveland police.

Garner was taken to a holding facility at the Loveland Police Department, the place she complained multiple instances about having injuries, CBS Denver reported. She was allegedly compelled to sit in a holding cell with out medical attention for hours, even after Hopp, Jalali and one other employees had been heard on security footage acknowledging that she may have accidents.

After a brief investigation, Hopp resigned from the Loveland Police Department, as did Jalali. Both had been arrested and charged with crimes related to Garner's arrest.

As first reported by CBS Denver, the Larimer County District Lawyer's Workplace elected to move ahead with a plea agreement against the need of the Garner household. The family felt the video in the case proved Hopp was responsible on all counts beyond an inexpensive doubt.