Judge Found Sonoma Deputy Likely Dishonest About Prior Use of Neck Hold

Bystander video captured Sonoma County Sheriff’s Deputy Charles Blount taking Celeste Moon to the ground on Jan. 23, 2015, by wrapping his arm around her neck. Sonoma County Superior Court Judge James Thistlethwaite found in April 2015 that Blount may have been dishonest in testimony about the force he used, and that his takedown may have been improper. He told a Sonoma County prosecutor to log Blount’s potential dishonesty and disclose it in future cases. Blount used a similar maneuver on Nov. 27 on 52-year-old Dave Ward of Petaluma, who then experienced a medical emergency and died, according to the Santa Rosa Police Department.

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