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Report: Ex-sergeant kicked handcuffed man for spitting blood

HARTFORD, Conn. – A now-retired Connecticut police sergeant says in a newly released incident report that he kicked a handcuffed man in the head because the man refused to stop spitting blood at him.

Hartford police on Tuesday released documents in an investigation into whether officers used excessive force during the June arrests of Ricardo Perez and Emilio Diaz.

A video released this month appears to show Sgt. Sean Spell stomping on the head of a handcuffed man on the ground.

Spell’s incident report says Diaz appeared to be high on PCP and was spitting at him. It says Spell used force after Diaz refused to stop and comply with orders.

Diaz’s lawyer tells The Hartford Courant his client “denies spitting blood at anybody.” Spell’s attorney didn’t immediately respond to requests for comment.

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