Delaware News

DCRPT convicts former Dewey Beach police officer for 2019 assault

Department of Justice | Department of Justice Press Releases | News | Date Posted: Wednesday, September 22, 2021


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Ex-officer receives felony conviction, permanently stripped of badge and gun

Attorney General Kathy Jennings announced Wednesday that the Division of Civil Rights & Public Trust (DCRPT) has convicted a former Dewey Beach police officer for assaulting an innocent, injured person and then lying to the Court to have the victim incarcerated.

“Abuse of authority, brutality, and dishonesty are cardinal sins for any law enforcement officer,” said Attorney General Jennings.  “The defendant’s violent acts harmed his victim and made it harder for his honorable colleagues to do their important work. Today the defendant becomes a felon who will never carry a badge or a gun again. Our thoughts are with his victim, and our thanks are with the EMTs and fellow police who did the right thing by stepping forward to blow the whistle on his actions.”

DCRPT moved to indict Gregory Lynch following an August 2019 incident in which Lynch climbed onto a stretcher and repeatedly punched an injured, unaggressive victim in the face. Other officers present told investigators that the punches were powerful enough to spray blood from the victim’s face onto their uniforms. Lynch then handcuffed the victim to the stretcher and pulled him into an ambulance by his head. The victim was later diagnosed with a concussion, a broken nose, multiple hematomas, and lacerations to his face.

After the beating, Lynch falsely claimed in a sworn affidavit that the victim had committed Strangulation and two counts of Offensive Touching of a Law Enforcement Officer, telling a fellow officer, “that’s what I do when they don’t comply – I make them felons.” Lynch’s lies were discovered days later when EMTs and fellow police came forward to attest to the truth.

Lynch pleaded guilty Wednesday to Perjury 2nd Degree, a felony, and Assault 3rd Degree, a misdemeanor. Under the victim-supported plea, Lynch will serve one year of Level 3 (intensive supervision) probation and sacrifice his Council on Police Training certification, permanently banning him from serving as a police officer again. As a result of the felony conviction, Lynch will also be prohibited from buying or possessing a firearm.

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DCRPT convicts former Dewey Beach police officer for 2019 assault

Department of Justice | Department of Justice Press Releases | News | Date Posted: Wednesday, September 22, 2021


Navy blue background featuring the Delaware state seal in the center

Ex-officer receives felony conviction, permanently stripped of badge and gun

Attorney General Kathy Jennings announced Wednesday that the Division of Civil Rights & Public Trust (DCRPT) has convicted a former Dewey Beach police officer for assaulting an innocent, injured person and then lying to the Court to have the victim incarcerated.

“Abuse of authority, brutality, and dishonesty are cardinal sins for any law enforcement officer,” said Attorney General Jennings.  “The defendant’s violent acts harmed his victim and made it harder for his honorable colleagues to do their important work. Today the defendant becomes a felon who will never carry a badge or a gun again. Our thoughts are with his victim, and our thanks are with the EMTs and fellow police who did the right thing by stepping forward to blow the whistle on his actions.”

DCRPT moved to indict Gregory Lynch following an August 2019 incident in which Lynch climbed onto a stretcher and repeatedly punched an injured, unaggressive victim in the face. Other officers present told investigators that the punches were powerful enough to spray blood from the victim’s face onto their uniforms. Lynch then handcuffed the victim to the stretcher and pulled him into an ambulance by his head. The victim was later diagnosed with a concussion, a broken nose, multiple hematomas, and lacerations to his face.

After the beating, Lynch falsely claimed in a sworn affidavit that the victim had committed Strangulation and two counts of Offensive Touching of a Law Enforcement Officer, telling a fellow officer, “that’s what I do when they don’t comply – I make them felons.” Lynch’s lies were discovered days later when EMTs and fellow police came forward to attest to the truth.

Lynch pleaded guilty Wednesday to Perjury 2nd Degree, a felony, and Assault 3rd Degree, a misdemeanor. Under the victim-supported plea, Lynch will serve one year of Level 3 (intensive supervision) probation and sacrifice his Council on Police Training certification, permanently banning him from serving as a police officer again. As a result of the felony conviction, Lynch will also be prohibited from buying or possessing a firearm.

image_printPrint


Graphic that represents delaware news on a mobile phone

Keep up to date by receiving a daily digest email, around noon, of current news release posts from state agencies on news.delaware.gov.

Here you can subscribe to future news updates.