Court documents indicate that former South Bend Police officer Theodore Robert will plead guilty to a criminal civil rights violation for assaulting a handcuffed inmate at the St. Joseph County Jail in 2010.
A petition to enter a guilty plea was filed last month with the U.S. District Court, according to our news partners ABC 57.
- RELATED: Officer charged with federal civil rights violation resigns from South Bend Police Department, Oct. 20, 2015
In it, Robert, 40, detailed the incident. He stated that the inmate was handcuffed behind his back when Robert “repeatedly and forcefully pushed” the inmate into a wall, with Robert’s arm pressed against the head and throat of the inmate. Then, as multiple other officers tried to intervene, the inmate tried to move toward Robert, and Robert punched him in the face.
The punch to the inmate’s face caused a cut above his eye that required sutures and other medical treatment.
Robert admitted that he knew it wasn’t reasonable or lawful to hit the inmate under those circumstances.
He is expected to plead guilty during a hearing set for 2 p.m. Monday, Dec. 14.
- RELATED: South Bend officer accused of punching handcuffed man charged with civil rights violation, May 15, 2015
