Body camera video released in former Hot Spring County deputy investigation
LITTLE ROCK (KATV) — KATV has obtained body camera footage of a police interaction involving a former Hot Spring County deputy who is being investigated by the Federal Bureau of Investigation.
As previously reported, former deputy Chris Winberry resigned in August of 2021 during an FBI investigation that's looking into whether excessive force was used while making some arrests.
Court-related documents show the Hot Spring County Sheriff's custodian of records, who has not been named, was subpoenaed in reference to the Winberry investigation to testify before a grand jury in the United States District Court for the Western District of Arkansas.
Records requested by the FBI included police interactions with at least six suspects, including video and audio records and Winberry's personnel file.
Those interactions range from February 2020 to August 2021.
Through a Freedom of Information Act request this week, KATV obtained footage that's related to this investigation.
The body cam, worn by a Malvern Police officer, shows an arrest made in December 2020. Malvern's City Attorney, Cecilia Ashcraft, told KATV their police department was called to assist.
In the video, police announced who they were and proceeded to enter the home of a suspect with their weapons drawn.
When officials located the suspect, a command was given to "stand up" and "keep your hands up."
On the third command, Winberry can be seen charging toward the suspect, to arrest him.
While the arrest was being made, Winberry began to punch the suspect and an officer can be seen grabbing Winberry and heard telling the former deputy, "Alright, stop, stop, stop."
The former duty then told him, "Let me f****** go or I'm gonna f*** you up a lot harder."
Later in the video, the officer wearing the body cam describes to other officers on the scene what happened: "Winberry comes through the door and just went the f*** off on him, I mean...beating the f*** out of him." He added, "I was trying to get Winberry off of him basically."
Once the investigation is complete, KATV will update this story.
