PORTLAND, Ore. (AP) â A Multnomah County grand jury has returned an indictment against a Portland police officer accusing him of hitting an Oregon protester in the head with a baton in 2020.
The indictment marks the first time in the county an officer has been prosecuted stemming from force used during a protest, The Oregonian/OregonLive reported. Months of demonstrations over racial injustice last year led to accusations that officers were heavy-handed in their response.
Corey Budworth is charged with misdemeanor fourth-degree assault. He’s accused of âunlawfully, knowingly and recklessly causing physical injuryâ to Teri Jacobs on Aug. 18.
Multnomah County District Attorney Mike Schmidt called Budworthâs use of force excessive and lacking any legal justification, and said in a statement that âthe integrity of our criminal justice system requires that we, as prosecutors, act as a mechanism for accountability.”