The two former Colorado police officers who were involved in the violent arrest of a 73-year-old woman have been arrested and charged.
On Wednesday (May 20), Austin Hopp and Daria Jalali were charged for arresting Karen Garner back in June after she was accused of stealing under $14 worth of items from a local Walmart in Loveland. According to body camera footage, Hopp grabbed Garner by her arm and forced her to the ground. Jalali was seen on video restraining the elderly woman.
Garner has since filed a federal lawsuit against the officers after she suffered from a broken humerus, dislocated shoulder and a sprained wrist during the arrest.
After the incident, a video surfaced of the officers laughing at bodycam footage of Garner’s violent arrest. Hopp could be heard mocking the “pop” sound that occurred when Garner’s shoulder dislocated.
“Ready for the pop?” he asked. When Officer Tyler Blackett responded, “What popped?” Hopp casually replied, “I think it was her shoulder.”
“I can’t believe I threw a 73-year-old on the ground,” he added.
Hopp and Jalali were placed on administrative leave following the arrest, as well as Officers Blackett and Philip Metzler, who supervised the former cops at the time Garner was arrested. After a video of them laughing at the arrest was released to the public, the officers resigned from the Loveland Police Department.
Jalali has been charged with three misdemeanors, including failure to report use of force by an officer, failure to intervene and first-degree official misconduct, announced District Attorney Gordon McLaughlin. Hopp was charged with second-degree assault causing serious bodily injury and attempt to influence a public servant, which are both felonies. He was also charged with official misconduct, which is a misdemeanor.
“I hope today can be a step towards rebuilding trust in the criminal justice community,” McLaughlin said in a statement.