Transient Convicted In Attack On Police Officer

DENVER (CBS4) - A jury found Stephen Hamper guilty of attacking a police officer in 2014 after a two-day trial.

Hamper was charged with assault in the first degree - serious bodily injury/deadly weapon, assault in the second degree - peace officer, criminal attempt to disarm a peace officer, and assault in the second degree - custody/peace officer.

On Sept. 6, 2014, Officer Aubree Thompson was set to contact Hamper after he was seen washing his clothes near Interstate 25 and South Downing Street.

When Hamper failed to respond to the officer's questions, she attempted to handcuff him and get him off the roadway and out of danger of cars getting on the highway.

At that time, "Hamper turned around and hit her in the face with a closed fist, breaking loose from the officer and rushing toward her patrol car," the Denver District Attorney's Office said in a statement. "However, he turned back and subsequently hit the officer several times in the face and body, knocking her to the ground."

Passersby stopped to help Officer Thompson and subdue Hamper.

According to the police report, Hamper screamed, "If I would have gotten her gun, I would have killed her. You guys kill children and old ladies."

The jury found Hamper not guilty of one additional count of assault, threatening a peace officer with a gun.

Hamper is scheduled to be sentenced on June 2, 2017, at 1:30 p.m.