Photo courtesy of KMOV News.
Disgraced former police officer Dustin Boone was convicted on June 17 for beating an undercover police detective, Luther Hall in St. Louis, according to The St. Louis Post-Dispatch. The beating took place in 2017 at a protest of another ex-police officer being acquitted after killing Anthony Lamar.
Boone, who had a history of sending racist text messages, was convicted of the felony civil rights charge deprivation of rights under color of law for aiding and abetting other officers who beat Detective Hall. Boone faces up to 10 years in prison for his role in Hall’s beating.
Hall was beaten on Sept. 17, 2017 during a protest where he was working undercover. Hall was at a protest after St. Louis police officer Jason Stockley was acquitted for killing Lamar. Stockley shot Lamar through a driver’s side window after a police chase. He said Lamar pointed a gun at him, however, the gun found in Lamar’s vehicle only had DNA from Stockley on it.
Officers Boone, Christopher Myers, Stephen Korte, Randy Hays and Bailey Colletta, who are all white, mistook Hall for a looter. Hall was using his camera to record the protests and it captured part of his beating. Boone was accused of helping to hold Hall down, while Meyer was accused of trying to smash Hall’s camera with his baton.
Hays admitted to beating Hall with a baton and knocking him down. He pled guilty to one felony count of deprivation of rights under color of law. Colletta also pled guilty for lying to the grand jury about the assault. Hays and Colette are expected to be sentenced in July. Korte, who Hays testified kicked Detective Hall in the face, was acquitted in the first trial.
Boone and Meyers were tried once before, but the trial ended in a mistrial. The jury could not decide on Meyers’ charges of destroying evidence with the intent to impede an investigation during the second trial, and it is unclear if he will be tried a third time. The jury at first was deadlocked on both defendants. Judge E. Richard Webber ordered the jury to keep deliberating, and they came back with a guilty verdict for Boone.
Racist text messages from Boone to his mother, father and girlfriend included racial slurs. In one message, Boone mentions that he doesn’t believe St. Louis Circuit Attorney’s Office would prosecute “these (N-word) running wild all across the city.”
Text messages from Boone revealed that the officers were also on the take. One message to Meyers indicated the officers stole evidence.
“I don’t know if sarge is cool w taking any of that cash. I grabbed the 20s for us but I don’t know how he will Be about it??”
Boone’s text messages also detailed his excitement about beating the protesters.
“…it’s gonna be a lot of fun beating the hell out of these sh******s once the sun goes down and nobody can tell us apart!!!!…just grab f****rs and toss em around.”
First Assistant U.S. Attorney Carrie Constantin said that she is happy one bad cop has been removed from the streets.
“We are very gratified by the jury’s verdict today,” she said. “I said in my closing argument that no one hates a bad cop more than a good cop and for those of us in law enforcement it’s gratifying when you can take a bad cop off the streets.”
Hall required several surgeries for his injuries. He now has a four-inch titanium plate and six screws in his neck. He testified that a SWAT officer recognized him sitting on the curb after the beating and took him into the SWAT van to render aid and keep his undercover status a secret.
“My face was covered in blood,” he said. “Everything hurt. “When I walked in (the precinct) I was angry. I told them ‘a bunch of policemen just beat the s*** out of me.'”
The City of St. Louis was ordered to pay Hall $5 million for damages. Boone’s police license was revoked and his sentencing will be scheduled in about three months.