A former Melvindale police officer accused of using excessive force during two traffic stops in 2024 has been found guilty of assault and misconduct in office in connection with one of the cases.
After a four-day jury trial in Wayne Circuit Court, former Melvindale Police Lt. Matthew Furman was convicted on Thursday of one count of misconduct in office and one count of misdemeanor assault and battery. He faces up to five years in prison for the misconduct charge.
The trial, which began Monday, covered two of his three criminal cases. In the third, Furman pleaded no contest Thursday to misdemeanor assault and battery for kicking a male suspect multiple times in his leg and ankle as he was secured in handcuffs.
In the first case, Furman was convicted of using excessive force when he used his Taser on a man who lied to him about his identity and was pulled over in July 2024 for having expired insurance and because he drove around a barricade. Drakkar Williams said Furman was aggressive and angry during the traffic stop and asked him questions, but would not allow him to answer.
Furman repeatedly tased Williams and later grabbed his hair and hit his head against the fire truck he was sitting on.
Furman was acquitted of a third charge of felonious assault in the Williams case.
In the second case, Furman was acquitted of using excessive force against Alica Cook in April 2024 when he tried to drag her out of her car after doing a traffic stop while she was parked for having an expired license plate. When Furman could not get her out of the car, he used his taser on her.
He had been charged with misconduct in office, felonious assault and misdemeanor assault and battery. He was acquitted on all three charges.
Wayne County Assistant Prosecutor Matthew Makepeace said during opening statements that while there are two separate instances of alleged excessive force, the issues in both cases are the same.
“The issue is going to come down to one of intent,” Makepeace said. “Did Matthew Furman, when he did what you saw on video, have a corrupt intent? Did he intend to assault Drakkar Williams and Alica Cook?”
The jury found that he did, for Williams.
During Williams’ arrest, Furman also detained Williams’ girlfriend.
“When you’re told to do something, you do it,” Furman yelled at the girlfriend as she hesitated getting out of the car, when she said she was checking on her two children in the backseat. Later, he told her to “sit down and shut the (expletive) up.”
“I’m a cop who lays down the law when people f— around,” Furman told her as they sat in the police car together.
Furman’s attorney, Dennis Whittie, said Furman decided to plea in the third misconduct case after his conviction in the felony case. The prosecution allowed him to plead no contest to the misdemeanor with a sentencing agreement of one-year of probation.
Whittie said while the statutory maximum for the misconduct in office conviction is five years in prison, Furman’s guidelines are far lower. Whittie said he expects he’ll get probation or a maximum of 11 months in jail.
“I think the time has come for Matt Furman to move beyond what I call the Melvindale mess and start the next chapter of his life,” Whittie said. “He’s upset about the convictions, but he realizes it could be much worse.”
Furman was fired from Melvindale police several months ago. Whittie said he had been trying to go on medical leave for mental health issues since his fellow officer Cpl. Mohamed Said was killed on duty in 2024, but the department would not let him. He does not plan to go back to policing, Whittie said, and is now working on a farm.
Whittie said it was difficult for Furman to be at his own trial knowing the trial for the murder Said’s accused killer Michael Lopez was going on one floor above him. On every break, Furman wanted to know how the trial was going, Whittie said.
Furman has been accused of assault before. In 2019, Furman was charged with assault for causing an intoxicated man to fall. He pleaded no contest to willful neglect of duty and was given a year of probation with conditions that he attend anger management classes and make restitution.
kberg@detroitnews.com
This article originally appeared on The Detroit News: Melvindale cop convicted of misconduct in office, assault
Reporting by Kara Berg, The Detroit News / The Detroit News
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