Former Alabama police sergeant pleads guilty to excessive force charge

MONTGOMERY, Ala. (AP) — A former Alabama police sergeant has pleaded guilty to beating a man in a jail cell.

Federal court records show that Ryan Phillips, a former sergeant with the Daleville Police Department, pleaded guilty Thursday to a charge of depriving an arrestee of his civil rights under color of law. The assault happened on March 1, 2022 at the Daleville Police Department, according to court records.

In the plea agreement, Phillips acknowledged that after an argument he entered a cell and struck the man “multiple times about the chest, back, and face.” The man was alone in the cell and was not a danger to himself or others, according to the plea agreement.

The man, called only by his initials in the court filing, suffered bruising and cuts to his scalp, face, neck, back, and chest.

Phillips will be sentenced on Nov. 13. Prosecutors said they are recommending a sentence of 22 months in prison.

“The defendant lost his composure and beat an arrestee inside his cell. This type of excessive force cannot be tolerated. By holding accountable those who disparage the profession by breaking the law, we will protect the reputations of the countless officers who serve honorably,” U.S. Attorney Jonathan S. Ross said in a statement.

A defense attorney for Phillips did not immediately return an email seeking comment.