Additional indictment for former Greeley officer charged with excessive force assault – Greeley Tribune

A former Greeley police officer charged with second-degree assault for allegedly using a chokehold in the arrest of a 36-year-old man last June will appear for another hearing in August.

Kenneth Amick, 48, appeared in person before Welding Judge Vincente Vigil at an indictment hearing on Thursday after Amick’s private attorney David Goddard filed for another indictment to consider an offer earlier in April.

On Thursday, Goddard said he had yet to reach an agreement and subsequently requested an additional indictment hearing. Prosecutor Tim McCormack supported the request for a hearing before Amick files a plea.

This case dates back over a year when a 36-year-old Matthew Wilson complained that Amick, who has been a Greeley Police Officer since 2008, used excessive force in his arrest. The two additional officers at the arrest also reported that the violence was excessive.

On the afternoon of June 7, Amick and two other officers were responding to an incident at City Center North in Greeley where an employee said Wilson threatened to burn the building down.

The clerk reported that Wilson made his way to City Hall, where Amick made initial contact with the suspect. Amick immediately handcuffed Wilson, who had an active warrant for his arrest. He began complaining of pain from the handcuffs and was actively upset when Amick escorted him out of the building.

In response, Amick put Wilson in a choke hold, which is a prohibited maneuver for law enforcement statewide, and took him to the ground. Wilson began to show deleterious effects from Amick’s choke hold, and a second officer at the scene stepped in to intervene.

After officers calmed Wilson down and got him to his feet, he grabbed Amick’s hand. Amick responded by hitting Wilson’s legs with knee kicks, putting him back on the ground.

The department placed Amick on unpaid administrative work after both Wilson and the two officers reported excessive violence. Amick has since been out of work with the Greeley Police Department and the City of Greeley.

After an investigation into Amick’s use of force, the district attorney’s office formally filed charges of second-degree assault against him in late June. In October, Vigil provided body camera footage from the July 7 arrest.

A arraignment hearing for Amick is scheduled for August 2 at 10 am in the Weld District Court.