New Hampshire

Trooper Accused of Beating Suspect Found Not Guilty of Simple Assault

A Massachusetts trooper accused of beating a chase suspect across state lines in New Hampshire has been found not guilty.

Thirty-three-year-old Joseph Flynn was acquitted of simple assault on Thursday following the May 2016 incident, when television news helicopters caught law enforcement officers from both states punching and kicking Richard Simone Jr. as he was kneeling to surrender once he got out of his vehicle in Nashua.

Prosecutors had argued that Flynn did not need to use force in detaining Simone after he had surrendered. Flynn's lawyer said his use of force was justified.

Andrew Monaco, another trooper involved in the incident, pleaded guilty in 2016 to simple assault to avoid jail time; however, as part of his plea deal, he agreed to resign and never again seek law enforcement employment.

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