true fact.
right now in fact a suspended cop here, beat and kicked a suspect on the ground in cuffs....he was relieved of duty, and the chief and mayor do not want him back.
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the high-profile case involving Providence Police Sergeant
Joseph Hanley.
Sgt. Hanley was caught on video punching, kicking, and kneeling on a handcuffed suspect, Rishod Gore, in April 2020. The city has spent years trying to terminate him, and the legal battle is ongoing over a disciplinary panel's decision to only issue a 45-day suspension.
Case Timeline & Status
- The Incident (April 2020): Hanley struck and kicked handcuffed arrestee Rishod Gore on Knight Street in Providence. Cellphone and body-camera footage captured the assault. [1, 2, 3]
- Criminal Plea (December 2024): Hanley pleaded no contest to a misdemeanor simple assault charge, avoiding a third trial after previous deadlocked juries and legal challenges. [1, 2]
- LEOBOR Panel Ruling: A Law Enforcement Officers' Bill of Rights panel voted to give Hanley a 45-day unpaid suspension instead of firing him. [1, 2]
- Current Appeals (2026): The city of Providence and Mayor Brett Smiley's administration strongly oppose his reinstatement and are fighting the suspension in the Rhode Island courts to achieve full termination. Hanley remains off the active force on leave pending the resolution of these legal appeals.
