Denver Sgt. Joseph Rodarte Found Not Guilty Of Assault

DENVER (CBS4) - A jury acquitted a Denver police sergeant accused of beating a 17-year-old with a metal baton, breaking the teen's nose and one of his legs. Sgt. Joseph Rodarte was arrested in Oct. 2018 and charged with second-degree assault.

The jury found Rodarte not guilty Wednesday, after six hours of deliberation. He had been suspended without pay during the investigation.

Carolyn Tyler with Denver District Attorney's Office told CBS4, "We are disappointed, but respect the jury's decision."

According to court records, Rodarte and other officers responded on Aug. 22, 2018 to a complaint about a person yelling obscenities. The records say the teen was running from police when Rodarte struck him several times.

The teen, who has not been named, was charged with resisting and interfering with police.