The highest court in Massachusetts has rejected an appeal by a former Springfield police officer convicted of beating a suspect with a flashlight.
The State Supreme Judicial Court in a decision issued Tuesday said errors by the trial judge were not serious enough to overturn the 2010 conviction of Jeffrey Asher.
He was found guilty of assault and battery and sentenced to 18 months in jail. Asher has served the sentence, but a successful appeal of the conviction could allow Asher to keep his more than $45,000 annual pension, according to police union lawyer Kevin Coyle.
A bystander’s video recording of Asher, who is white, beating Melvin Jones III, who is black, was posted on the internet. It sparked protests and demands for greater civilian oversight of the Springfield Police.
