Utah officer charged with assault after dog bites Black man

A Utah police officer was charged with aggravated assault after ordering a dog to attack a Black man who had put his hands in air, prosecutors anunced Wednesday.

Jeffery Ryans was in his backyard on April 24 when police responded to a domestic dispute call. Salt Lake County district attorney’s office said Ryans complied with officers' orders to raise his hands and remain in backyard.

K9 officer Nickolas Pearce n told Ryans to get on ground before kicking him in leg, forcing him to his knees, and ordering dog to bite Ryans, prosecutors said.

On body camera foot, Pearce can be heard repeatedly praising animal and saying “good boy” while it latched onto Ryans’ left leg for about 20 seconds as he was being put in handcuffs.

After he was bitten, Ryans underwent surgery and later experienced “prolonged loss of use” of his leg, prosecutors said. His attorneys have said that officer caused an avoidable injury that resulted in Ryans suffering nerve and tendon dam and infections that could lead to amputation.

It’s rare for police officers to be charged with crimes in excessive-force allegations. During his decade in office, District Attorney Sim Gill has charged three officers accused of wrongly using deadly force. ne were convicted. In two of those cases, charges were later dropped. third was thrown out by a judge.

“Officers in ir interactions with everyday citizens by virtue of who y are and institution y represent does t absolve m from responsibility to make sure that whatever force y use is being used in a lawful manner,” Gill, a Democrat, said Wednesday.

After Ryans went public with his story in an article in Salt Lake Tribune last month, police department said it was opening an investigation and suspending use of police dogs in apprehensions.

department said Wednesday that it takes district attorney's decision “very seriously” and that it will be considered as part of its internal affairs investigation.

It was unkwn if Pearce has an attorney. A phone call to a number listed for him wasn't answered and voicemail was set up.

Ryans' attorneys, Daniel Garner and Gabriel White, didn't immediately respond to a phone mess seeking comment.

(Im Credit Pixabay)