New Castle cop fired for excessive force

Staff report

NEW CASTLE, Pa.

City police this week said they have referred the case of an officer fired for excessive force to the Lawrence County District Attorney’s office.

Ronald Williams was fired Thursday for use of excessive force during an April arrest that was caught on video and went viral.

A Use of Force Review Board met May 7 to review the actions of Williams and another officer who were called April 23 to a 1404 E. Washington St. home for a report involving a juvenile and a drunken man.

When Williams arrived, one officer was already there and struggling with the man. They were on the floor. Williams tried to use his stun weapon on the man but it did not work. Williams then shoved the man to the floor several times.

A news release said Williams was on top of the man and the first officer was right next to him. The release said the man was under control by the officers and the force used “was not reasonable and necessary under the circumstances to effect an arrest.”

The man was arrested on charges of simple assault, harassment and resisting arrest and those charges are justified, the release said.

A teen who was there took the video, which became viral after it hit the internet.

The release said the Use of Force Board, made up of other officers, voted unanimously that Williams’ actions were not justified and violated departmental procedures.