2 Deputy Marshals Accused of Assaulting Prisoner
Two Orange County deputy marshals have been charged with assaulting a prisoner while they were on duty, officials with the district attorney’s office said Tuesday.
Deputy Stephen Weigand was charged with two misdemeanor counts of assault under color of authority, and Deputy Bruce Barer was accused of one count of the same offense.
The charges stem from a July 27, 1990, incident in which Christopher Hazell alleged that the two deputies used excessive force on him at the Central Courthouse inmate holding area.
Deputy Dist. Atty. James J. Mulgrew, who is handling the case, declined to elaborate on the incident. He said the maximum sentence for each count is one year in jail and a $10,000 fine.
Capt. Don Spears of the marshal’s office said this was the first time deputies in Orange County have been charged with this type of crime.
Spears said the deputies remain on staff pending the outcome of an internal investigation.
Weigand and Barber are scheduled to be arraigned later this month.
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