No jail time for cop convicted of kicking handcuffed suspect

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http://www.630wpro.com/Article.asp?id=2417447&spid=37719&cache=no

Edward Krawetz, the Lincoln police officer convicted of kicking a handcuffed woman in the head outside Twin River casino in 2009, will serve no jail time.

Superior Court Judge Edward Clifton Monday sentenced Krawetz to a 10-year suspended ACI sentence and 10 years' probation. The state had asked for seven years with 18 months to serve behind bars.  Krawetz could have faced up to 20-years in jail.  The judge also ordered that Krawetz have no contact with the victim and to undergo mental health counseling.

In imposing a sentence of less than jail, the judge said he had explored the possibility of home confinement, but said a statute bars such a sentence in cases involving crimes of violence.  The judge also cited a 2007 incident which led Krawetz to briefly seek out psychological counseling.  He would not disclose details of the incident, saying accounts of it remain under seal.

Attorney General Peter Kilmartin issued a statement following the sentencing, and said that the actions of Krawetz must not reflect poorly on other police officers.

“I know firsthand the duty of a sworn police officer; to serve the public and uphold the law.  When a police officer or other public official engages in criminal conduct, dishonesty, or an abuse of power, the public trust is seriously undermined.  Once that trust is broken, it is difficult, if not impossible, for police officers to do their jobs.  The inexcusable actions by Edward Krawetz should not and must not reflect the actions by the thousands of police officers who perform their duties each day with pride, integrity, honesty and within the legal and ethical boundaries of the law,” said Kilmartin in a statement.

In January, Krawetz was found guilty of felony battery with a dangerous weapon stemming from the 2009 incident.  The incident was captured on film by a surveillance camera which showed Krawetz exchanging kicks with a handcuffed Donna Levesque outside Twin River Casino. In the video Levesque tries to kick Krawetz’s shin and Krawetz responds by kicking her in the head. Levesque was being removed from Twin River by police for disorderly conduct.

During the trial, Krawetz maintained that he only kicked Levesque out of self-defense. Krawetz waived his right to trial by jury therefore the case was heard only before a judge.

This was not Krawetz’s first incident; in 2001 Krawetz got into an altercation with a man on the Cumberland bike path and was convicted of assault. As a result, he was suspended from the police department for 30 days.