A former Louisiana police officer will spend a year and a half behind bars after pleading guilty to excessive use of force during a 2017 police chase.
Robert Hammac, a former officer with the Lake Charles Police Department, was sentenced to 18 months in prison on Tuesday, in addition to one year of supervised probation, KPLC 7 reported.
A judge also ordered the ex-cop to undergo a mental evaluation.
Hammac’s charges stem from a May 8, 2018, pursuit that ended with the brutal beating of an unnamed suspect. Dashcam video of the high-speed chase shows officers swarm the man’s car, ready to pull him out after the chase came to a crashing halt.
By that time, the suspect had his hands up, indicating surrender.
As other officers begin to pry the driver from the vehicle, Hammac enters thorough the passengers side and starts whaling on him, delivering several blows to his head. A second officer, later identified as Jared Hebert, is then seen sliding across the hood of the car to beat the driver with a night stick.
Both offers entered guilty pleas in connection to the chase, which police said began as a traffic stop.
After the incident, Hammac left Lake Charles police to join the Moss Point Police Department in Mississippi but resigned after his indictment, according to KPLC. His ex-boss, Lake Charles Police Chief Shawn Caldwell, decried the officer’s behavior.
Robert Hammac, 44, was one of several officers involved in a May 2017 police chase that ended with the brutal beating of a suspect. (Photo: KPLC 7 / video screenshot)
“We reaffirm that the actions of Mr. Hammac and others involved in the May 2017 incident were not tactically sound, unsafe for all involved, and not what we expect for the Lake Charles Police Department,” Caldwell said.
He added: “This incident was self-reported to the FBI, and we respect the investigative and legal process.”
Hammac will begin serving his sentence Jan. 6
