Former Wilmington officer who slammed man’s head on video indicted

A former Wilmington police officer who was captured on video slamming a man’s head into a store wall has been indicted by a New Castle County Superior Court grand jury, the Delaware Department of Justice announced Monday. 

The indictment lists several charges against Samuel Waters, including the mention of an incident in which prosecutors say he assaulted a second man with his baton as the man was being handcuffed by another officer. That incident occurred nine days before the Sept. 21 incident that was distributed on social media. 

The eight charges, including two felonies, that 27-year-old Waters faces carry a sentence of up to 13 years in prison. 

“The evidence in this case shows a clear and disturbing pattern of violence and deception,” Delaware Attorney General Kathy Jennings said in a statement Monday. “The defendant repeatedly abused a position of trust and authority and then subsequently lied about it. 

“We don’t tolerate this kind of misconduct by anyone – let alone from someone who swore an oath to protect his community – and we will prosecute his crimes to the fullest extent of the law.”