Preliminary trial date set

Officers accused of falsifying records in 2014 beating

A judge has tentatively scheduled the trial of four current and former Boynton Beach police officers accused of falsifying reports to justify a 2014 beating.

U.S. District Judge Robin Rosenberg preliminarily scheduled the trial to begin one week from today in federal court in Fort Pierce, though that date is very likely to be postponed.

A police supervisor arranged for three officers to falsify reports about an incident involving the beating of several occupants of a car and then lied about it to the FBI, according to federal charges filed earlier this month.

The officers are accused of rewriting police reports to try to justify their use of force after a sheriff’s helicopter video recorded them punching and kicking people after an Aug. 20, 2014 chase, according to the indictment.

Sgt. Philip Antico and Officer Michael Brown, who are both now on paid administrative leave, and former officers Justin Harris and Ronald Ryan have all pleaded not guilty to a range of charges that included falsifying police reports, violating civil rights and obstruction of justice.

They are free on bond while the case is pending. Ryan was fired in an unrelated matter, and Harris left the department soon after the incident.

Federal prosecutors and defense attorneys filed court records saying there is a “voluminous” amount of evidence in the criminal case that the defense has not yet been able to examine.

The government expects to introduce one video recording of the stop of the car on Aug. 20, 2014, as outlined in the indictment; one audio recording of the transmissions on the police radio frequency from that date; and one video recording of Defendant Antico’s statements to the Federal Bureau of Investigation from Feb. 19, 2015,” prosecutors wrote.

The prosecution is also turning over about 20 recorded witness statements to the defense, they said.

Both sides are due in court for a status hearing Wednesday in West Palm Beach, when a new trial date will likely be scheduled.