Alex Hornback (2020)
Overview
On April 9, 2020, Kentucky State Police troopers Thomas Czartorski, James Wright, and Kevin Dreisbach went to Hornback's house to arrest him for missing a court appearance. Wright grabbed Hornback by the neck and threw him to the floor. Czartorski hit Hornback several times in the legs with his flashlight. Wright struck Hornback in the back with his forearm. Hornback did not resist.[1] Wright drew his Taser when Hornback's parents objected to the troopers' actions.[2]
Dreisbach was not present during the arrest.[3]
Hornback's father recorded the end of the incident on his cell phone camera. The troopers threatened to arrest him unless he deleted the video. When the father did not know how to delete the video, a sergeant deleted it from the phone.[4]
The incident was captured by a home-security camera.[1] The troopers were not equipped with body-worn cameras.[3]
Czartorski and Wright did not report the use of force, as required by department policy.[2]
On October 16, 2020, Hornback and his parents sued the officers, alleging violations of their rights under the First, Fourth, and Fourteenth Amendements.[2][1]
In January 2021, Czartorski and Wright testified that the incident had been relatively calm, despite taking Hornback to the floor, and that no other force was used.[1]
After the troopers' depositions, the family released the video footage.[2]
In January 2021, the department opened an investigation.[2]
On February 2, 2021, Czartorski resigned in lieu of termination.[2]
On July 8, 2021, Czartorski was charged with felony first-degree perjury and faces from one to five years in prison.[3][1]
Czartorski pleaded not guilty.[1]
In August 2022, a judge declared the officers' statements to be "untrustworthy" and "proven to be inaccurate".[1]
On January 23, 2023, the Kentucky State Police agreed to pay $130K and Czartorski agreed to pay $5,000 to settle the lawsuit.[1]
A state police investigation found that Wright did not violate standards of conduct.[2] Wright received no administrative or criminal actions.[1]
In June 2023, Czartorski pleaded guilty to perjury and was sentenced to three years diversion, which is similar to probation. At the end of that time, the incident could be erased from his record.[5]
Officers Involved
References
- ↑ 1.0 1.1 1.2 1.3 1.4 1.5 1.6 1.7 1.8 R.G. Dunlop, Kentucky State Police pay $130K settlement in 2020 excessive force lawsuit, WKMS, 2023-02-28
- ↑ 2.0 2.1 2.2 2.3 2.4 2.5 2.6 R.G. Dunlop, False testimony didn’t end these Kentucky state troopers’ careers, Louisville Public Media, 2022-02-28
- ↑ 3.0 3.1 3.2 Jacob Ryan, This Former Ky. Trooper Denied Using Force Under Oath. The Video Says He Did, Louisville Public Media, 2021-07-09
- ↑ Hornback v Czartorski et al Complaint, U.S. District Court, 2020-10-16
- ↑ Jason Riley, Former KSP trooper pleads guilty to lying under oath about repeatedly striking man with flashlight, WDRB, 2023-06-15
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