ST. LOUIS — A former Woodson Terrace police officer was expected to plead guilty Monday instead of going to trial for kicking and hitting a man he was arresting in 2019.
In the courtroom Monday, David Maas's attorney said the hearing will be continued until Tuesday morning and said “we still need to work some things out.”
Maas originally pleaded not guilty and had plans to go to trial this week after he was indicted on a count of deprivation of rights under color of law.
The incident in question happened during an arrest when he was a member of the Woodson Terrace Police Department. Maas was a member of the Breckenridge Hills Police Department when he was federally indicted.
"The defendant did not document any use of force in the arrest of I.F., and in fact did not document ANY of his involvement in the chase or the arrest," according to a motion filed by Assistant U.S. Attorney Christine Krug on Aug. 8. "Had dash cam video from other police departments not surfaced through a request by a news outlet, the defendant’s employer may never have known of his actions the night of April 14, 2019."
"The defendant resigned from his position in the Woodson Terrace Police Department effective the date his interview with the investigator was scheduled,” She added.
According to a press release from the Department of Justice, Maas used unreasonable force when arresting a man on April 14, 2019. The release said he hit and kicked the man while he was complying and did not pose a threat to anyone. The man suffered injuries during the arrest.
"Law enforcement officers take an oath to serve and protect the public," said Special Agent in Charge Richard Quinn of the FBI St. Louis Division. "When an officer betrays that oath, and instead uses his or her position to violate a person's constitutional rights, that officer must be held accountable. Our community, and our profession, deserve no less."
The punishment for the crime is a sentence of up to 10 years in prison and up to a $250,000 fine.
