MIAMI (WSVN) - A former Miami-Dade Police officer has learned his fate following a rough arrest back in 2019.
It’s jail time for former MDPD Officer Alejandro Giraldo, who was convicted of crossing the line and committing a crime.
“Sir, I’m going to sentence you for 364 days in Dade County jail,” said Miami-Dade Circuit Judge Ellen Sue Venzer.
Alejandro Giraldo was seen in a video with another officer arresting 26-year-old Dyma Loving on March 5.
Loving said the incident took place after she called police when a man called her and her friend a derogatory name before he pointed a gun at them.
The victim said she is pleased with the sentence.
“I had no idea that she was gonna give this man jail time for me,” said Loving. “I am overwhelmed with joy and gratitude, and she fixed his wrong in a sense.”
Back in April, Giraldo was convicted of official misconduct and battery.
During Thursday’s sentencing, both Loving and Giraldo took the stand.
Giraldo read a prepared statement, apologizing for that encounter and said he was “having a bad day.”
“I want to apologize to Dyma Loving regarding any trauma that I may have caused her and her family,” he said.
Loving said she accepted the officer’s apology.
“I do accept your apology,” she said.
Loving chose to respond.
“I feel like if it wasn’t recorded on camera, and it wasn’t put out, no one would ever know the real Alejandro,” said Loving. “Actions have reactions. You have to pay your consequences.”
In this case, Giraldo will pay by spending a year of his life behind bars.
“Our system of justice relies on the truthfulness of our police officers. Without your truthfulness, our system fails, and we cannot, and I will not tolerate that,” said Venzer.
“We are a little disappointed in the judge’s sentence,” said Giraldo’s attorney, Andre Rouviere. “We thought a non-incarceration sentence would have been appropriate under the circumstances, but the judge ruled the way she did, and we have to accept that.”
Giraldo will begin his sentence on July 11.
“This sends a big statement to the police officers, because it lets them know that yes, you do wrong, you reap your consequences,” said Loving.
Giraldo’s law enforcement career is over. When he is released from jail, he will be on probation for 18 months. One condition of that probation is that he will be required to take an anger management class.
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