ADAMS COUNTY, Colo. — An Adams County deputy was found not guilty for assaulting a handcuffed inmate in the Adams County Jail last year.
Adams County Sheriff’s Office Deputy Andrew McCormick was charged with third-degree assault for the Aug. 25, 2020 incident. The jury found McCormick not guilty Thursday after a two-day trial, according to the 17th Judicial District Attorney’s Office.
The charge stemmed from an incident at the jail that began as a dispute with the inmate involved because of the positioning of his handcuffs. Deputies Chad Krause, Michael Montgomery and Jaimie Malecha can be seen on video entering a holding cell to restrain the inmate, bringing him to the ground. McCormick then enters the cell and proceeds to punch the inmate nearly a dozen times.
“It is our job to charge and prosecute those who have broken the law,” District Attorney Brian Mason said. “No one is above the law, be it a private citizen, a police officer or a sheriff’s deputy. When there is evidence of criminal wrongdoing, we will prosecute such cases without fear or favor, regardless of a person’s status or title. In this case, the jury saw the evidence differently than we did and we must – and do – respect their verdict.”
Krause and Montgomery were also charged with third-degree failure to intervene, however, due to the result of McCormick’s verdict, the DA’s office concluded it cannot move forward on their cases. The office has filed a motion to dismiss their charges.
Malecha did not face charges in the incident.