# violence
A former Louisville, Kentucky, police officer was sentenced Tuesday to two years in prison for hitting a kneeling protester in the back of the head with a riot baton during a 2020 demonstration over the death of Brena Taylor, federal officials said.
Cory P. Evans, 34, previously pleaded guilty to violating the Constitution and using unreasonable force on May 31, 2020, when he was part of the Louisville Metro Police Department's special response team.
Evans was trying to arrest a group of people for unlawful assembly and violating a downtown curfew, the Justice Department said in a statement. That's when one of the group surrendered by kneeling and putting his hands in the air, officials said.
"While the man was kneeling in this position, Evans struck him on the back of the head with a riot stick, causing a wound to the back of the head of the kneeling victim. The victim fell forward and was detained by other LMPD officers, "the Justice Ministry statement said.
"During racial justice demonstrations in the spring of 2020, former police officer Evans abused his power and violently retaliated against an arrestee who turned himself in and exercised his First Amendment rights during a demonstration in Louisville," said Assistant Attorney General Christine Clark. "The Department of Justice will continue to hold accountable officials who violate their oaths and the Constitution."
In addition to jail time, Evans was sentenced to two years of supervised release by U.S. Magistrate Judge Rebecca Grady Jennings in the Western District of Kentucky, officials said.