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Former Kansas City Police Officer Pleads Guilty in Excessive Force Case

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A former Kansas City police officer will serve a short time in prison and be barred from working in law enforcement after he pleaded guilty to a misdemeanor in an excessive force case.

Shannon Hansen, 46, was one of three Kansas City officers involved in the May 2014 incident. Caught on police dashboard camera, an enraged Hansen can be seen holding down, cursing and threatening then 24-year-old Manuel Palacio, a Mexican American robbery suspect.

As part of a plea bargain with Jackson County prosecutors, Hansen, who left the department in July 2015, will also serve 30 days of what’s called “shock time,” a short period of jail time done in hopes of deterring further criminal behavior. Hansen will serve it at the Polk County jail in Bolivar, Mo.

Hansen pleaded guilty last Friday. He will be on probation for two years, and if he fails to complete that, will serve a year in jail, said Michael Mansur of the Jackson County District Attorney’s office. He must also complete anger management, serve 100 hours of community service and surrender his law enforcement certification.

“This case first developed after an assistant prosecuting attorney, who was reviewing evidence in another criminal case, came upon the dash cam video,” Mansur said.

Although the U.S. attorney declined to pursue a federal case, Jackson County prosecutors filed criminal charges. The dash cam video also triggered a Kansas City Police Department internal investigation, said Capt. Tye Grant, a spokesman for the Kansas City Police Department.

Palacio filed a state lawsuit against Hansen and the two other officers, Jacob Harris and Sgt. Todd Hall, alleging assault, battery and conspiracy. Hall has since left the department and Harris remains on administrative duties pending the outcome of an internal investigation, Grant said.

Tom Porto, Palacio’s attorney, said his case against the three officers will go to trial in November.

“The nice thing about the plea was that it was an admission and some accountability for the actions that happened on that day,” Porto said.

The lawsuit, Porto said, will address further questions surrounding the case, including actions of all three of the officers involved in the arrest that day. 

In a prepared statement, Chief Darryl Forté said police officers have a responsibility to always act with integrity and in a professional manner, no matter the circumstances.

“Police face incredibly difficult situations every day, but we are held to a high standard of service by both the community and each other,” Forte said.

I’m a veteran investigative reporter who came up through newspapers and moved to public media. I want to give people a better understanding of the criminal justice system by focusing on its deeper issues, like institutional racism, the poverty-to-prison pipeline and police accountability. Today this beat is much different from how reporters worked it in the past. I’m telling stories about people who are building significant civil rights movements and redefining public safety. Email me at lowep@kcur.org.
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