BREAKING A jury found a San Francisco police officer not guilty of battery and assault charges stemming from an incident at Pier 39 that left a man with broken bones.
SAN FRANCISCO -- A San Francisco police officer was found not guilty in the 2019 beating of a man with a baton in what's believed to be the city's first trial against an officer over excessive force allegations while on duty.
Stangel was charged with four felonies, including battery causing serious bodily injury, assault with a deadly weapon, assault with force likely to cause great bodily injury and assault under the color of authority. His defense attorney, Nicole Pifari, said Stangel used necessary force to control a violent situation created by Spiers and said the case was politically motivated.
The San Francisco Police Officers Association said it was pleased with the trial's outcome and that the focus should be on keeping San Francisco safe.