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Trial date set for Boynton Beach cops indicted on use of force, falsifying records

The 2014 case involved Byron Harris
Posted at 3:50 PM, Jun 26, 2017
and last updated 2017-06-28 21:08:43-04

Two current and two former Boynton Beach Police officers will have their cases heard on July 3 in federal court in Fort Pierce.

Officer Michael Brown, Sergeant Philip Antico, former officers Justin Harris and Ronald Ryan, who all pleaded not guilty to the charges against them, were released on bond.

The charges stem from their roles in the arrest of Byron Harris who led police on a chase on August 20, 2014.

Harris, who had two passengers in the car, refused to stop and at some point allegedly hit and injured a police officer.

Police followed Harris to Lake Worth where the chase ended. Harris and his two passengers, Ashley Hill and Jeffrey Braswell, were taken into custody.

Parts of the chase and the subsequent arrest were captured on Palm Beach County Sheriff’s helicopter video.

The video shows officers striking, kicking and using a stun gun on Harris.

The city of Boynton Beach settled an excessive force lawsuit with Byron Harris in November, agreeing to pay him $600,000.

Byron Harris pleaded guilty in March to aggravated assault and fleeing or attempting to elude and was sentenced to three and a half years in prison.

The trial for the officers is set for September. 

The date for the trial could be changed based on court proceedings.

The four officers are scheduled for a status conference in West Palm Beach on June 28.