Kansas trooper who kicked man in handcuffs will never again work in law enforcement

A former Kansas state trooper who admitted to using excessive force on a man he had arrested and handcuffed will never again work in law enforcement.

James Carson pleaded guilty to using excessive force, the U.S. Department of Justice said.

Carson arrested the man and took him to the Labette County jail. The man’s hands were handcuffed behind his back as Carson escorted him from his patrol car to the booking area.

That’s when Carson, without warning, kicked the man’s legs out from under him, causing him to fall onhis back onto the floor, the DOJ release said. Carson admitted in court that he used force against the man to punish him and not for a legitimate law enforcement purpose. At least five other law enforcement officials were at the jail.

In his plea agreement, Carson agreed to turn over his law enforcement credentials and never again work in anything related to law enforcement.

The Kansas Bureau of Investigation initially investigated the case before it was turned over to the FBI.

“Any law enforcement official who uses excessive and unreasonable force against an arrestee violates the Constitution and its provision to provide for the safety and security of all citizens,” said John Gore, acting assistant attorney general. “The Justice Department will continue to aggressively prosecute officer misconduct and protect the integrity of our civil rights laws.”

This story was originally published January 26, 2018 at 2:30 PM with the headline "Kansas trooper who kicked man in handcuffs will never again work in law enforcement."