Three former Milwaukee, WI police officers and one still employed by the city are set to go to trial in U.S. District Court today in what the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel calls the biggest police trial in the city’s history. Fired officers Jon Bartlett, Andrew Spengler and Daniel Masarik — along with suspended officer Ryan Packard — are charged with violating the civil rights of civilians Frank Jude and Lovell Harris in a violent 2004 confrontation outside an off-duty officer’s party.
The defendants face up to 20 years in prison and $500,000 in fines if convicted. The trial comes 14 months after a state jury acquitted Bartlett, Spengler and Masarik of assaulting Jude. Jurors couldn’t reach a verdict on one count against Bartlett, the Journal Sentinel said.