A former San Francisco Bay Area police officer was charged with assault for using excessive force on an unarmed Black man he arrested last July during a traffic stop over a missing license plate.
Matthew Nutt was fired from his job in April of this year for violating several of the Antioch Police Department’s use of force policies after police officials investigated his part in a traffic stop on July 1, 2022. Now, he’s facing a criminal misdemeanor assault charge for his actions at that stop.
Antioch Police recently released body camera footage of the incident.
It shows Nutt stopping a driver for not having any license plates on his vehicle. After approaching the car on the passenger side, he speaks to the person in the front passenger seat, who authorities identified as Terry Robinson. Robinson explains that he and the driver were heading to the DMV and Nutt asks for the driver and Robinson’s identification.
After reviewing their IDs, Nutt discovered that Robinson had a felony warrant out for his arrest. Nutt approaches the car again, opens the passenger door, and asks Robinson to step out and hold his hands up, then cuffs him. Another officer is also present at the scene.
Nutt walks Robinson to his police vehicle and explains that Robinson is wanted for the warrant. Robinson stops in the middle of the walk to try to explain himself. Robinson nervously tells Nutt that he can’t sit in the back of the vehicle, and says he’s starting to have a panic attack.
The moments that ensue next show the encounter escalating dramatically.
Nutt forces Robinson against the side of his police vehicle and another officer approaches. Both officers force Robinson to the ground.
During these moments, Robinson repeats himself multiple times, continuing to insist that he’s having a panic attack, to which one officer responds by saying, “Get in the car,” and “Stop resisting.”
Both Nutt and the other officer with him tell Robinson to stop resisting after they force Robinson to the ground. Robinson yells in response, “I’m not resisting! All right, I’m gonna get in the car!”
The other officer with Nutt is heard saying, “What’s your problem man?”
Robinson repeats himself again, saying, “I’m having a panic attack. I be having panic attacks, bro.”
At that point, Nutt tells Robinson, “Stand up and get in the f—ing car or I’m gonna bring you down again. The way I took you down now, I will take you down again and harder. Stand up and get in the f—ing car.”
As Robinson and the other officer help Robinson up and escort him to the car again, they direct him to sit on the back seat. Robinson is seen sitting but standing up again, appearing to struggle to sit down fully.
During the entire incident, Robinson’s pants and underwear are down, and his buttocks are completely exposed.
At that moment, Nutt tells Robinson, “Sit down, or you are going on your f—ing face. Do you understand me? Sit down!” The other officer yells, telling Robinson, “Get in the f—ing car!”
Robinson complies with the officers’ demands, but just as he’s sitting down, he urgently tells officers again that he’s having a panic attack, and Nutt begins to kick and knee him repeatedly.
“I need medical!” Robinson screams multiple times at the officers, but they don’t verbally respond. Footage shows them just trying to force Robinson into the car. At one point Nutt also gets in the back seat of the patrol car on the opposite of Robinson before threatening to use his Taser on the man.
The officers keep yelling at Robinson to get in the car, and Robinson complies and tries to position himself to sit in the car. Nutt then begins hitting Robinson while Robinson is yelling, “I’m getting in!” multiple times. Nutt also knees and elbows Robinson several times.
Once Robinson is seated in the car, he requests medical help again, saying, “I need medical!” Nutt goes to the other side of the squad car and drags Robinson further into the car, then slams the car door. Afterward, Nutt approaches the vehicle he stopped and starts swearing and yelling at the driver to get out. The driver complies, Nutt cuffs him, and then he begins searching the car.
After an internal investigation, police officials determined that Nutt breached the Antioch Police Department’s policies, including using unreasonable force, failing to de-escalate, and failing to use “alternative tactics.”
Antioch police chief Steven Ford released this statement following the conclusion of the investigation:
“Police officers are entrusted with the authority to use reasonable force to protect the public and themselves in the lawful performance of their duties,” Ford said in the announcement. “This requires close supervision and evaluation to maintain public legitimacy and preserve the sanctity of human life.”
“The Antioch Police Department is committed to accountability and full transparency – my hope is our community will see the actions of our personnel to investigate and bring this matter to my attention as an expression of their commitment to accountability and the core tenants of their oath. This unfortunate incident is not reflective of the women and men who serve our community – please join me in continuing to offer our support of their hard work.”
Authorities haven’t released details about if any other officers who were present face disciplinary action or if Robinson and the driver were charged with any crimes.
The Contra Costa County District Attorney brought charges against Nutt, and he’ll be arraigned on July 18. Nutt worked for the department for four years. He also served with the Los Angeles Police Department for two years prior to his service in Antioch.
The Antioch police force has been the center of attention within its community and across the nation in recent years as news continues to come to light on incidents where its officers have used excessive force.
Most recently, the department came under fire for a disturbing text scandal where 17 of its officers were exchanging several racist, sexist, homophobic and violent texts in a number of text chains. In some of the messages, officers used the words “monkey” and “gorilla” to describe Black people.
Nutt reportedly received some of those texts, but it’s reported that he never responded to any of them. The department now faces a federal lawsuit regarding allegations of a number of civil rights violations.
