A former Arkansas police officer, Joseph Tucker Harris, has been arrested and charged with several offenses, including aggravated assault after being filmed assaulting a detainee last year. Harris, 29, was caught on camera punching, elbowing, and slamming a car door against the head of Billy Lee Coram, who was handcuffed in the back of his patrol vehicle. The incident occurred while Coram was being transported from a hospital back to a Craighead County jail. Harris was released on a $15,000 bond after being charged with felony aggravated assault, filing a false report, and misdemeanor third-degree battery.
The altercation captured in the patrol car video shows Coram, in a hospital gown, choking himself with a seatbelt. Harris is then seen stopping the vehicle, opening the door, and repeatedly striking Coram as he removes the seatbelt from around his neck. The video also reveals Harris slamming the car door on Coram's head. According to a federal lawsuit filed by Coram, these actions violated his constitutional rights. Coram had been hospitalized after ingesting a baggie of fentanyl and reportedly attempted to choke himself to dislodge any remaining drugs.
Coram's lawsuit, targeting Harris, the city of Jonesboro, and its police chief, is set for trial in May 2026. Meanwhile, there is no indication if Harris has legal representation in the assault case. An attorney representing him in the federal lawsuit did not respond to inquiries. The legal proceedings underscore ongoing tensions regarding police conduct and accountability. (This story was generated by Newser's AI chatbot. Source: the AP)
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