Trooper has pleaded guilty to federal civil rights charge

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Trooper has pleaded guilty to federal civil rights charge

Story Published: Jan 5, 2009 at 3:33 PM EST

Story Updated: Jan 5, 2009 at 3:33 PM EST

CHARLESTON, S.C. (AP) - A former South Carolina trooper caught on video kicking a suspect in the head has pleaded guilty to a federal civil rights charge.

U.S. Attorney Walt Wilkins says John B. Sawyer pleaded guilty Monday to depriving a man of his right to be free from the use of unreasonable force by a police officer.

Sawyer was indicted in July after video emerged showing him
kicking a man in the head after a 2006 highway chase.

He was placed on leave and later resigned from the highway patrol.

Sawyer had pleaded not guilty in July. He'll be sentenced at a
later date.

Messages left for Sawyer's attorneys were not immediately returned.

(Copyright 2009 by The Associated Press. All Rights Reserved.)

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