MIAMI (WSVN) - A Homestead corrections officer is off the hook for pushing a handcuffed man headfirst into a wall after a judge dismissed one of the charges against him.
Miami-Dade State Attorney Katherine Fernandez Rundle said Lester Brown crossed the line when booking an inmate back in December 2018.
“Officer Brown’s actions were not only improper, but they were crimes,” she said.
But according to Brown’s attorneys, Miami-Dade Circuit Judge Cristina Miranda ruled this week that Lester Brown acted under Florida’s “stand your ground” self-defense law and dismissed a felony battery charge that had been filed against him.
The 2018 incident was captured on surveillance video.
“In Mr. Brown’s case, that video clip was enough for Homestead Police officials and the state attorney to really rush to judgment and not follow a proper investigation,” said Anthony Caggiano, an attorney representing Brown.
Brown has maintained he acted in self-defense.
“We’re grateful to Judge Miranda for having the courage to exonerate and do the right thing. After hearing and seeing all this relevant evidence and testimony, Mr. Brown has been exonerated,” said defense attorney Anthony Genova.
“Mr. Brown has been through so much, and as Judge Miranda’s ruling made clear, he did nothing wrong,” said Caggiano.
In 2018, Brown was also accused of lying on the arrest report about what happened in the booking room.
“The video evidence does not support Officer Brown’s written account that Garcia attempted to attack the officers,” said Fernandez Rundle.
Brown was also charged with felony official misconduct, but his attorneys believe that will be dismissed as well.
“It’s my belief that the second charge of official misconduct will be dismissed at some point because of the findings of the court in the ‘stand your ground,'” said Genova.
Brown’s attorneys said their client told them the judge’s ruling doesn’t feel real.
7News is waiting for a copy of Miranda’s ruling.
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