Three deputies charged for assaulting Bahamian teen in South Florida

Three deputies charged for assaulting Bahamian teen in South Florida

The Broward State Attorney’s Office announced on Wednesday that Sergeant Gregory LaCerra and Deputies Christopher Krickovich and Ralph Mackey are facing misdemeanor charges, after they allegedly assaulted Delucca Rolle, a 15-year-old Bahamian-American student back in April of this year.

LaCerra, 51, was charged with two counts of battery for spraying Rolle in the face with pepper spray and throwing him to the pavement, the state attorney’s office said.

Krickovich, 29, was charged with two counts of battery for slamming the 15-year-old student’s face or head to the pavement and punching the juvenile in the head with his fist, officials said.

LaCerra, Krickovich and Mackey, 49, all face charges of falsifying records and conspiracy to falsify records for falsifying the description of the circumstances of the juvenile’s arrest, officials said.

Delucca Rolle was in the parking lot of a McDonald’s restaurant with students from the J.P. Taravella High School in Tamarac, Florida, when he was arrested by the three deputies.

A video of the arrest that went viral and gained national headlines, showed the teen being thrown to the pavement, beaten, and later pepper sprayed while he was being taken into custody.

The incident led family members and civil rights groups to speak out about how Rolle was treated during his arrest.

Meanwhile Rolle’s attorney, Benjamin Crump said that no one should be above the law. However President of the Deputies Association, Jeff Bell, told a South Florida News station on Wednesday that the issue is political.