SAINT PAUL — The office of Minnesota Attorney General Keith Ellison today charged Justin Stetson with one count of assault in the third degree under Minnesota Statutes Sec. 609.223, subd. 1 for the May 30, 2020 beating of Jaleel Stallings in Minneapolis. Stetson was a Minneapolis police officer at the time.
The complaint alleges that on that date, then-Officer Stetson repeatedly struck Stallings over a period of nearly 30 seconds although Stallings had already surrendered, was lying prone on the ground, posed no imminent threat, and did not resist Stetson’s use of force. As a result of the assault, Stallings suffered a fracture of his left orbital wall — the facial bone that surrounds and protects the eye.
As outlined in the complaint, an expert use-of-force review of the case materials concluded that then-Officer Stetson’s use of force was “unreasonable, excessive, and contrary to generally accepted police practice.” Stetson no longer has an active peace officer’s license in Minnesota.
