A former Arkansas law enforcement officer has been sentenced after pleading guilty to violating the civil rights of a man he repeatedly punched during a violent arrest captured on video. The incident took place in 2022, and the former deputy, Levi White, will now be serving time in a medical facility.
U.S. District Judge Susan O. Hickey handed down the sentence on Wednesday, ordering White to serve 63 months in a federal prison medical facility with credit for time already served. The judge also recommended that White receive necessary medical health counseling and treatment during his confinement at the United States Medical Center for Federal Prisoners in Springfield, Missouri. Additionally, White will be placed on two years of supervised release.
The charges stem from the arrest of Randal Worcester outside a convenience store on August 21, 2022. A bystander recorded the arrest in the small town of Mulberry, leading to widespread dissemination of the video online. White’s co-deputy, Zackary King, also faced charges in connection with the incident and had pleaded guilty. King’s sentencing was scheduled for the following day.
In the video, White and King were seen striking Worcester while another officer, Mulberry Police Officer Thell Riddle, restrained him. The footage showed White slamming Worcester’s head onto the pavement during the arrest. It was reported that Worcester was being questioned for allegedly threatening a clerk at a convenience store in Alma when he tackled one of the deputies and punched him before the arrest.
Despite the legal proceedings, Worcester is set to face trial in February on charges including resisting arrest and second-degree battery. He had previously filed a lawsuit against the three officers, the city of Mulberry, and Crawford County over the arrest, but the civil case has been paused pending the outcome of the criminal cases.
Both King and White were dismissed from their positions by the Crawford County sheriff following the incident. The sentencing of White serves as a significant development in holding law enforcement officials accountable for their actions during arrests.