Former Police Officer Sentenced for Deprivation of Civil Rights

PITTSBURGH - A Fayette County resident has been sentenced in federal court to three years of probation, the first six months of which are to be served on home detention, on his conviction of Deprivation of Civil Rights, United States Attorney David J. Hickton announced today.

Chief United States District Judge Joy Flowers Conti imposed the sentence on Norman L. Howard, 43, of Grindstone, Pa. As part of the disposition of Howard’s case, Howard agreed that his judgment would include that he permanently relinquish his Pennsylvania law enforcement credentials and to never seek employment through law enforcement in the future.

According to information presented to the court, on or about May 26, 2013, Howard, a police officer of the Redstone Township Police Department, willfully deprived an individual identified as D.N. by punching D.N. in the face, without justification, thereby causing bodily injury to D.N. The indictment further alleged that on or about May 26, 2013, Howard made false statements in a police report regarding the incident, claiming that the man had shoved him and had resisted arrest.

Assistant United States Attorneys Cindy K. Chung and Shaun E. Sweeney prosecuted this case on behalf of the government.

U.S. Attorney Hickton commended the Federal Bureau of Investigation for the investigation leading to the successful prosecution of Howard.