FORT SMITH, Ark. — The second former Crawford County Sheriff's Office deputy involved in the arrest of Randal Worcester — a man violently beaten by law enforcement in a viral 2022 video — has been sentenced on Oct. 10, 2024.
Zackary King's sentencing comes a day after his fellow deputy, Levi White, was sentenced to over five years in the Bureau of Prisons.
King was sentenced on Thursday to one year in prison with one year of supervised release. Additionally, the court recommended receiving mental health services.
White and King both pleaded guilty to charges related to the arrest of Worcester in Mulberry on Aug. 21, 2022. White and King, along with Mulberry Police Officer Thell Riddle, were seen in a video on top of Worcester, who they were attempting to arrest.
The video was widely circulated on social media as the deputies appeared to be hitting and kicking Worcester while he was on the ground. The three law enforcement officials were suspended after the video surfaced.
"The videos from this incident are a shocking display of the violent deprivation of civil rights committed by these officers," U.S. Attorney Clay Fowlkes for the Western District of Arkansas said in April 2024. "No person in police custody should ever feel threatened or should ever experience violence at the hands of those who are sworn to protect the public."
The former deputies originally pleaded not guilty to the charges related to the violent arrest but changed their plea to guilty in April 2024, canceling both federal jury trials.
"This case is reflective of an ongoing issue that we see not just here, but across the country, and that the police are often the first and primary individuals who encounter those who are in a mental health crisis," said Rachel Bussett, a lawyer representing Worcester. "Given everything that's happening in our nation right now and the world, the best approach is always kindness and understanding, and if we do that, we avoid what happens here today under most circumstances."
The judge justified the sentencing of King because he was a police officer and had a duty to protect and serve. She said both deputies continued to fight when Worcester was no longer a threat.
"We're disappointed the judge didn't see sentencing our way. But the judge has a hard job. She has to look at everything and do what she believes is the right thing to do," said Chris Baker, a lawyer representing King. "If you look at what the Civil Rights Division has prosecuted nationwide, there is a very large disparity between the actual conduct of Mr. King and the same sentences for other offenses that officers, in very similar circumstances have been charged and convicted of."
Riddle
Officer Riddle was reinstated to the Mulberry Police Department in February 2023. In the video, he is only seen holding Worcester down.
Worcester
According to court records, Worcester's jury trial in Crawford County is set for Feb. 3, 2025. He faces the following charges:
- First-degree terroristic threatening
- Second-degree battery
- Resisting arrest
- Possessing an instrument of crime
- Obstructing governmental operations
- Disorderly conduct
In December 2022, Worcester pleaded not guilty to all charges.
Watch 5NEWS on YouTube.
Download the 5NEWS app on your smartphone:
Stream 5NEWS 24/7 on the 5+ app: How to watch the 5+ app on your streaming device
To report a typo or grammatical error, please email KFSMDigitalTeam@tegna.com and detail which story you're referring to.
