CLEVELAND — Euclid police officer Michael Amiott's assault conviction stemming from a 2017 traffic stop has been vacated by the Cuyahoga County Eighth Appellate Court after the court ruled his right to a speedy trial was violated.
Amiott was convicted of assault and interfering with civil rights in July 2022 and was later sentenced to one year of non-reporting community control in a prolonged case centered around a 2017 traffic stop during which video showed Amiott punching and kicking Richard Hubbard multiple times. His trial was delayed by two years due to the COVID-19 pandemic.
"The trial court erred in proceeding to trial after the speedy-trial time had elapsed where appellant had not waived his right to a speedy trial," the court wrote. Judges Frank Daniel Celebreze III, Lisa B. Forbes and Michael John Ryan concurred.
"It's unfortunate that the administration of justice cannot pursue swiftly against a white officer in Michael Amiott as it does a black defendant in this county, state and country," said Christopher McNeal, Hubbard's lawyer.
After the traffic stop, Amiott was suspended for 45 days following which Euclid Mayor Kirsten Holzheimer Gail fired him from the police force. An independent arbitrator reinstated him in 2018. Amiott was arrested and charged in Euclid Municipal Court in August of 2019 after further investigation into the incident.
Months after Amiott was found guilty by a jury, the judge announced a 90-day sentence, which was then suspended. After his reinstatement, Amiott was assigned to the Euclid Police Department's warrant unit.
Amiott said in a statement to the court during his 2023 sentencing hearing that he is "not an advocate for or against use-of-force."
"Everything I did on that day was based on my training and experience," he said. "From here on out I’ll be an advocate for subject-control training department-wide going forward so we can all be at our best when the time comes. I have a deep respect and love for the citizens and this community. I want to do my best to serve them. After all, that’s what they deserve.”
In 2021, Hubbard received a $450,000 legal settlement from the City of Euclid in connection to the incident.
Amiott was the subject of multiple separate excessive force complaints prior to the incident and a 3News investigation found that he had previously been forced to resign from Mentor's police force before taking the job in Euclid.
3News' Laura Caso spoke to Euclid NAACP founder Dr. Cassandra McDonald about the situation: