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Two officers from the Honolulu Police Department were arrested and charged on Friday for allegedly forcing a homeless man to lick a public urinal, authorities said.
The Justice Ministry has indicted John Rabago, 43, and Reginald Ramones, 43, of a conspiracy head to deprive one of his civil rights and another for acting the color of the law and to have violated his rights.
The charges stem from an incident in January 2018 in which the police allegedly "deprived an individual of his constitutional right not to be seized by an unreasonable seizure by a law enforcement officer."
The indictment is punishable by a maximum sentence of 10 years imprisonment and $ 250,000, according to authorities.
Honolulu Police Chief Susan Ballard told WKYT that the arrests "cast a dark shadow over the department".
"I ask the public to continue supporting officers who perform their daily duties with courage, integrity and respect for the public," Ballard said in a statement. "The two officers who were arrested will have their day in court and will be held accountable for their actions."
According to the Honolulu Star-Advertiser, the two officers responded to an intruder call when they encountered a homeless man and forced him to put his mouth on a urinal. Two other officers were involved.
Megan Kau, a lawyer representing Rabago, told WKYT that she was convinced that her client would not be found guilty.
"We are confident that once acquitted, they will return to the D1 patrol (District 1) as before," she said.
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