Jury convicts Pa. cop in stun gun use

PITTSBURGH (AP) — A federal court jury in Pittsburgh has convicted a police officer of violating a man’s rights by using a stun gun on him three times while he was handcuffed.

Suspended Millvale Officer Nicole Murphy, who will be sentenced March 13, acknowledges having used the device on Thomas Jason James Smith after his arrest for public drunkenness in September 2012.

The 30-year-old officer contends that she was justified because she was trying to stop Smith from banging his head on a desk and office cubicle — though she said in reports that Smith was combative and spat on her partner, which that officer has denied.

The FBI began investigating after a third officer leaked a 52-second cellphone video of the incident.

The borough paid Smith $37,500 to settle a related lawsuit.