BOSTON — Both federal prosecutors and the defense rested their cases on Day Three of the trial of Fall River police officer Nicholas Hoar, who is accused of lying on police reports to cover up his use of excessive force on a man in custody inside a police headquarters jail cell three years ago.
The incident was investigated by the FBI, and Hoar was indicted in November 2022.
Assistant U.S. Attorneys Kristina E. Barclay and John J. Reynolds III introduced testimony from seven witnesses, including retired Fall River Police Sgt. Jeffrey Maher, and two other fellow officers from the FRPD who were on duty the night of the alleged incident.
Hoar, a fifth-generation Fall River police officer, did not testify in his own defense. He is not legally obligated to do so. Defense attorney Leonardo A. Angiulo rested without calling any witnesses.
Both sides will present closing arguments to a jury of 14, on Thursday morning before they deliberate their decision on whether Hoar is guilty of one count of deprivation of rights under color of law resulting in bodily injury for allegedly striking then-prisoner Harvey in a jail cell, and two counts of filing false reports for lying about the excessive force incident.