The Michigan appeals court has affirmed the conviction of a Detroit-area police officer whose bloody beating of a motorist was recorded on dash-cam video and led to a $1.4 million settlement.
The decision this week comes months after William Melendez was released from prison. He served 14 months in jail and prison before he was released by the parole board.
In 2015, Melendez pulled Floyd Dent from his car in Inkster and punched him in the head 16 times. Dent suffered broken ribs, blood on the brain and other injuries. Melendez was convicted of assault.
Much of his appeal centered on statements by the prosecutor or witnesses during trial. The appeals court says it was improper for jurors to hear that Melendez declined to speak to investigators. But the court calls it a harmless error.
