Officer Pleads Guilty to Assault

'05 Inauguration Protester Hurt

An 18-year D.C. police veteran pleaded guilty in Superior Court yesterday to aggravated assault in connection with the arrest of a protester during President Bush's second inauguration in 2005.

Standing before Judge Randall F. Canan, Officer Christopher Huxoll, 41, who had been assigned to the department's civil disobedience unit, admitted to one count of aggravated assault. The guilty plea means that Huxoll, who was less than two years from retirement eligibility, must resign from the force.

"All law enforcement officers have a duty to protect," Police Chief Cathy L. Lanier said in a statement. "Mr. Huxoll's actions are reprehensible and completely contradictory to what my department stands for. His behavior does nothing but taint the phenomenal work done every day by officers who serve our city with distinction."

On Jan. 20, 2005, Huxoll and other officers responded to a report of an unauthorized anti-Bush demonstration at 18th Street and Columbia Road NW, Assistant U.S. Attorney John Cummings said.

When police arrived, several demonstrators allegedly threw glass bottles at them. Prosecutors said Huxoll grabbed a protester from behind, mistakenly believing he had thrown a bottle, and forced him to the ground before he struck the protester in the face with a 30-inch riot baton. The protester loss consciousness and suffered a broken nasal bone, requiring six stitches.

Huxoll could be sentenced to 1 1/2 to 10 years in prison. Sentencing is set for March 6.

The U.S. attorney's office -- which some defense lawyers say has failed to aggressively prosecute police in the District -- cited yesterday's plea to dispute that criticism. In the past 18 months, Cummings said, his office has prosecuted four cases of excessive force by D.C. law enforcement officers.

U.S. Attorney Jeffrey A. Taylor said, "As the resolution of this case demonstrates, where there is sufficient evidence that excessive force was used by a law enforcement officer, this office will not hesitate to prosecute."