ST. LOUIS — A former officer with the St. Ann Police Department has been federally indicted on charges alleging he repeatedly kicked a compliant suspect during a 2019 arrest.
Ellis Brown was indicted Thursday by a federal grand jury on a charge of deprivation of rights under color of law, according to a press release from the United States Attorney's Office with the Eastern District of Missouri.
His charges stem from an FBI investigation into an arrest he performed on April 9, 2019, while working as a St. Ann police officer.
According to the attorney's office, Brown "willfully deprived" a person, referred to as "S.K.," of their Constitutional rights to be free from unreasonable seizures by repeatedly kicking them though they were being compliant and not posing a physical threat.
S.K. suffered bodily injury during the arrest, the attorney's office said.
"When making an arrest, a police officer is given the authority to use only the level of force necessary," said Special Agent in Charge Richard Quinn of the FBI St. Louis Division in the release. "In this case, Officer Ellis Brown is accused of using unreasonable force by repeatedly kicking an individual who was compliant and not posing a physical threat to anyone."
Brown made his first appearance before a judge Thursday and was allowed to remain free on bond. He was ordered to surrender all guns and will not be allowed to possess a gun while the case is pending.
If convicted, Brown faces a maximum of 10 years in prison, a $250,000 fine, or both.
Brown is one of two officers who fatally shot 25-year-old Kajieme Powell in August of 2014.
Brown resigned from the department following the shooting and later became an officer with the St. Ann Police Department.
