Former Weymouth police officer federally charged in excessive force incident

Justin Chappell was charged with deprivation of rights after he allegedly punched a handcuffed man in the head 13 times.

A former Weymouth police officer has been charged federally after he allegedly punched a handcuffed man in the head 13 times in 2022, officials said. 

Justin Chappell, 43, is charged with one count of deprivation of rights under color of law, U.S. Attorney for the District of Massachusetts Joshua Levy said in a statement Thursday. 

“Members of law enforcement take an oath to serve and protect with professionalism and integrity,” Levy said in a statement. “Today’s court filings allege that Officer Chappell violated this solemn obligation.”

The alleged incident occurred on the evening of July 2, 2022, when Chappell and two other Weymouth officers responded to a report of an intoxicated man causing a disturbance. A struggle ensued as officers tried to arrest the suspect. 

While trying to get the suspect into a police cruiser, Chappell allegedly “delivered several hammer-fist strikes” to the suspect’s head, according to an investigation report. 

The department’s internal investigation of the incident found that Chappell used excessive force when punching the suspect during the altercation and recommended that he be decertified as an officer in May 2023.

In January, the state’s Peace Officer Standards and Training Commission issued a decision revoking Chappell’s certification as an officer, saying he was “unfit for duty” and “dangerous to the public.” The decision was based on several incidents where Chappell was found to have used excessive force — including another incident when he punched a suspect in the head. 

In his own use of force report, Chappell described the punches as “distraction techniques.”

Chappell resigned from the Weymouth Police Department July 11, 2022, just days before a termination hearing for him was scheduled. 

“It is hard to comprehend why Justin Chappell allegedly felt entitled to repeatedly beat a man in his custody, punching him in the face approximately 13 times,” said Jodi Cohen, special agent in charge of the FBI, Boston Division, in a statement. “In doing so, we believe Officer Chappell violated this man’s civil rights and betrayed his sworn oath, his community, and colleagues.”

If convicted, Chappell faces up to 10 years in prison, three years of supervised release, and a fine of up to $250,000. He is scheduled for a plea hearing on April 11. 

https://www.boston.com/news/crime/2024/04/04/former-weymouth-police-officer-federally-charged-in-excessive-force-incident/

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