Bull Shoals police chief indicted in excessive-force case

The Bull Shoals police chief has been indicted on a charge related to his use of excessive force in the 2013 arrest of a town resident, authorities said Friday.

Daniel Sutterfield, 35, has been charged with one count of deprivation of rights, U.S. Attorney Conner Eldridge said in a statement. Sutterfield is accused of using excessive force by kicking, stomping and using a Taser on a man who was already in handcuffs, as well as hitting him with a shotgun butt.

According to an affidavit filed in the case, Sutterfield and an officer responded to a Bull Shoals residence July 9, 2013, after a woman reported she had been abused by her live-in boyfriend.

The boyfriend, identified as Nicholas Dore, wouldn't open the door or come out, and Sutterfield later forced entry and shocked him twice with a Taser before placing him in handcuffs, the affidavit said.

"After Dore was placed in handcuffs, Sutterfield kicked Dore repeatedly and repeatedly struck Dore with the butt stock of his police shotgun," FBI special agent Tim K. Akins wrote in the affidavit. "Sutterfield then instructed Dore to get up, who responded that he could not. Sutterfield then used the taser to stun Dore again repeatedly."

Another officer left the residence and returned to find Dore "bleeding from the head," Akins added.

A second officer at the scene told investigators Sutterfield also threw Dore "into a fireplace and into a wall" while he was handcuffed, Akins wrote.

If convicted on the charge, Sutterfield faces up to 10 years in prison.

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