A former Colorado cop was sentenced Thursday to five years in prison over the violent arrest of an elderly woman with dementia nearly two years ago.

In June 2020, Austin Hopp arrested Karen Garner after she left a Walmart store in Loveland, about 50 miles north of Denver, without paying for about $14 worth of merchandise.

Bodycam footage showed Hopp forcefully grabbing her arm, then pushing her to the ground.

Garner, who was 73 at the time, can be seen in the video with her face on the ground and her arm behind her back, while still holding some wildflowers she had picked up on the way.

Security video from the police station showed Hopp playing back the footage to some of his colleagues and laughing about it.

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Garner sued the police department saying that she dislocated her shoulder and was left with a broken bone.

According to her lawyer, Garner — a mother of three and a grandmother of nine — has dementia and sensory aphasia, which impairs her ability to understand and communicate.

In September, the city announced that it had agreed to pay $3 million to the woman. The money would be used to provide care for her, Garner’s family said.

Hopp was initially charged with misdemeanor first-degree official misconduct and two felonies, including second-degree assault of an at-risk adult and attempt to influence a public servant.

In March he pleaded guilty to second-degree assault and faced anywhere from probation to eight years in prison.

The two other charges were dropped as part of the deal, which was struck with prosecutors.

The deal was opposed by Garner’s family, her daughter-in-law, Shannon Steward, said at the time.



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