Deputy faces civil rights charges for shooting Florida woman
TAVARES, Fla. (AP) - Federal prosecutors say they've indicted a Florida sheriff's deputy on civil rights charges that he shot an unarmed woman and then misled investigators about what happened.
The U.S. Department of Justice said Wednesday that Richard Palmer, a deputy with the Lake County Sheriff's Office, faces charges of using unreasonable force and making false statements.
A news release says Palmer could face a maximum of 30 years in prison and fines if convicted.
The Department of Justice says Palmer was on duty as a deputy in 2016 when he shot the woman, whose hands were visible and empty.
Palmer told investigators that he saw the woman pull a dark object out of her pocket.
There was no immediate online docket for Palmer. It wasn't known if he had an attorney.