MIAMI (WSVN) - A jury has reached a verdict in the case of an officer accused of using excessive force on a tourist.
The jury found Miami Beach Police Officer Kevin Perez guilty of simple battery, Wednesday afternoon, after deliberating for about two hours.
“Naturally we’re disappointed,” said defense attorney Robert Buschel, “but we will be exploring some post-trial motions with the judge.”
Perez is one of five Miami Beach officers who were originally charged with felony battery.
Perez’s charge was changed to battery.
All this happened after the rough arrest of tourist Dalonta Crudup on South Beach back on July 26, 2021.
Attorneys made their closing arguments earlier in the day.
“This case is about the beating of an unarmed, handcuffed Black man by an overzealous police officer, Kevin Perez,” said Joshua Novak, a prosecutor. “A beating that put him in the hospital, costing six digits. Being kicked in the face while there were other officers on top of him. He’s not resisting, he’s not fleeing.”
“He resisted, he refused to put his hands behind his back, he is kicking in the videos,” said Buschel. “Officers are saying, ‘Stop resisting, stop resisting,’ because he was resisting. He punched Mr. Crudup in the back and in the ribs because he, Mr. Crudup, was resisting, and the instruction of justifiable use of force, the law permits that.”
According to investigators, Crudup was riding a scooter, trying to get away from police and hit one of them with the scooter. He said a cop threw a bike at him.
Crudup eventually ran into the Royal Palm South Beach Miami Hotel.
Within minutes, more than a dozen officers responded to the hotel and surrounded Crudup, and the arrest went down.
Perez’s sentencing will be on April 21.
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