Jackson County prosecutor announces assault charge against KCPD segeant

Kansas City, Missouri, police Sgt.

Matthew T.

Neal was indicted Friday by a grand jury on one count of third-degree assault in connection with a Nov.

14, 2019, incident in which Neal allegedly kneeled on a 15-year-old boy’s neck and struck him with a knee, causing serious injuries.

AND NEW TODAY -- AGRAND JURY INDICTED AKANSAS CITY POLICESERGEANT FOR ANALLEGED 20-19 ASSAULT.SERGEANT MATTHEWNEAL FACES A THIRD-DEGREE FELONY ASSAULTCHARGE.THIS UNFOLDEDNOVEMBER OF LAST YEAR.ACCORDING TO THEJACKSON COUNTYPROSECUTOR, THE TEENWAS A PASSENGER IN ACAR FLEEING FROMPOLICE.ONCE THE CAR WASSTOPPED SERGEANT NEATOOK THE JUVENILE INTOCUSTODY AND ALLEGEDLYFORCED HIS KNEE ONTOTHE TEEN'S NECK AND HISHEAD INTO THE PAVEMENT-- CAUSING INJURIES.PROSECUTOR JEANPETERS BAKER SPOKE TOTHE TIMELINE OF THEINDICTMENT.JEAN PETERS BAKER/JACKSONCOUNTY PROSECUTOR"One of the things that I'mdisturbedabout is that this incidentoccurred inNovember of 2019.

But it wasn'tuntilvery late spring.

This year thatwelearned about it.""learning of this incident, morequickly or incidents like thismoquickly increases the chancethatwe'll find additional evidence.So it isimportant.

Timing is importantonthese."THE PRESIDENT OF THE"KANSAS CITY FRATERNALORDER OF POLICE"RESPONDED SAYING INPART:"THE LODGE SUPPORTSSERGEANT NEAL ANDBELIEVES THAT HISACTIONS WERE JUSTIFIEDUNDER THE TOTALITY OFTHE CIRCUMSTANCES."IT GOES ON TO SAY --"WE ARE CONFIDENT THATHE WILL BE ULTIMATELYEXONERATED."STAY CONNECTED WITHUS AS THIS STORYDEVELOPS.FIND UPDATES ON K-S-H-BDOT COM OR GET THELATEST NOTIFICATIONS BYDOWNLOADING OUR