Providence Police Office Found Guilty Of Assault During Arrest

PROVIDENCE, RI — A Providence police officer was found guilty of assaulting an East Providence man during an arrest in district court Thursday, following a seven-day trial.

Sergeant Joseph Hanley, 49, was found guilty of one count of simple assault. He was sentenced to one year of probation and ordered to take anger management classes, as well as ordered not to have any contact with his victim.

The charge stemmed from an April 2020 arrest, when Hanley "repeatedly kicked and struck Rishod Gore while Gore was handcuffed and lying on the ground," according to Attorney General Peter Neronha's office.

Police were called to a Knight Street home that night for a reported domestic dispute, Neronha's office said, and after that arrest accused Gore of interfering with the investigation. Officers pulled him from the passenger side of a vehicle and handcuffed him. While he was laying on the sidewalk, hands cuffed behind him, Hanley kicked him and hit him in the head and torso, the statement said.

At the trial, prosecutors called for Hanley to be sentenced to one year at the Adult Correctional Institutions in Cranston, with 90 days to serve and the balance as probation, along with 100 hours of community service and a no-contact order.

Nerhona said he was pleased with the outcome of the trial, which he called "plainly warranted based on the evidence presented."

"Police may use force in exercising their duty to protect the public, but that use of force must be reasonable and necessary under the circumstances," Neronha said. "Here, as Judge Goldman found, Sergeant Hanley’s use of force in striking Mr. Gore was clearly excessive. Accordingly, Sergeant Hanley’s conduct constituted an assault against Mr. Gore, and he must now pay the consequences of his criminal misconduct."

In court, Gore said he planned to appeal the decision.

"Police officers have a difficult and often thankless job," Neronha continued. "They work hard to protect the public, and the vast majority serve honorably and well. However, when an officer fails to uphold his oath and uses excessive force against a member of the public, it is imperative that we take strong action to hold them appropriately accountable for such misconduct. I am grateful to the prosecution team, including the Providence Police Department’s Office of Professional Responsibility, for their diligence in ensuring a successful prosecution in this important case."

Providence Mayor Jorge Elorza also praised the conviction, saying he "hope[s] this verdict helps bring justice to the victim and, as we move forward, we will remain focused on continuing to building trust between the police and our residents."

"Our approach to public safety relies on trust between the police and the community and we are appalled by what this officer did," Elorza said. "Upon seeing the video, we immediately recommended termination and then worked with the Attorney General's office to make sure the officer was prosecuted."