On Tuesday, a former police officer who worked for the St. Louis Metropolitan Police Department was sentenced to four years in prison and two years probation for using excessive force on an undercover colleague.
The officer was reportedly unaware that his Black colleague was undercover as a protester back in 2017. The incident happened during a protest in St. Louis, Missouri, after an officer named Jason Stockley was acquitted for the 2011 shooting death of Anthony Lamar Smith.
Randy Hays, 34, admitted to beating Luther Hall with a baton, although the undercover officer posed no threat and didn’t resist arrest. Insider reports that Hays plead guilty to all charges back in 2019 for using “unreasonable and excessive force.”
Hays apologized to Hall in court on Tuesday, reportedly saying, “I am a good person, but I made a mistake.”
Hall said he is still suffering from the incident that affected his physical and mental health.
“My physical being, mental health and overall life will never be the same,” he reportedly said in a statement. “The decision of these officers has altered my career, professional, and personal life.”
“I have had three surgeries and multiple procedures to attempt to relieve the pain I feel every day,” he said. “The reality is I will live out the rest of my life in some degree of pain.”
Hall says he was also diagnosed with anxiety, depression, and post-traumatic stress after the incident. His settlement with the police department was reportedly $5 million earlier this year.
Hays was one of many officers that took part in the beating. Two other officers are scheduled to be sentenced for their involvement in the incident.
