A police officer arrested for beating a shackled man and hurling racial insults at him while he was in a holding cell in Worcester, Massachusetts, is free on personal recognizance Friday.
Fifty-year-old Michael Motyka, a 17-year veteran of the Worcester Police Department, was charged Thursday after an internal investigation. Motyka is accused of attacking a 48-year-old man on Dec. 1, 2014, while he was awaiting transfer from a holding cell at the department to the courthouse for his arraignment.
Motyka allegedly forced the man against a wall, punched him, threw him to the floor and kicked him while he was down. He also made a disparaging comment about the victim's "black skin," according to the victim and a witness.
The police department announced Thursday that it had arrested Motyka on charges of assault and battery with a deadly weapon, as well as a civil rights violation.
"I want to thank Chief [Gary] Gemme and the Worcester Police Department for taking this matter seriously and investigating it quickly," said City Manager Edward Augustus in a statement. "Worcester will not tolerate this type of alleged behavior."
After his arraignment Friday, Motyka was released on personal recognizance. His defense attorney says his client, who served nine years in the U.S. Army, may suffer from post-traumatic stress disorder.
Motyka is on paid administrative leave from Worcester Police. He was ordered to surrender his gun and have no contact with the victim after being released on personal recognizance. He is due to return to court on June 2.
