Chattanooga police Officer Sean O’Brien received judicial diversion today after being accused of assaulting a 13-year-old male in January.
Under judicial diversion, there is no finding of guilt, but Officer O’Brien will be on probation for a year, after which the case will be dismissed.
Officer O’Brien currently is on administrative leave from the police department, and it is not yet known whether the judicial diversion will affect his job status.
The case arose after Officer O’Brien was accused of hitting and shoving the teen, who was handcuffed and in the county Juvenile Detention Center after being arrested.
In court today, several witnesses testified that the teen was “belligerent” and constantly cursing at Officer O’Brien before the alleged assault.