Former Alabama police sergeant who 'lost his temper' pleads guilty to beating prison inmate

A former Alabama police sergeant has pleaded guilty to depriving an arrested man of his civil rights under the guise of the law.

Ryan Phillips, who served with the Daleville Police Department, repeatedly struck a city jail inmate on March 1, 2022. He was subsequently released.

The guilty plea was announced Friday by the U.S. Department of Justice and the United States Attorney's Office for the Middle District of Alabama.

Authorities said Phillips intentionally used excessive force against an arrestee identified in court records only as “DM.”

The victim was in a jail cell when a verbal argument broke out between him and Phillips.

Phillips removed his badge and his gun, entered the cell and repeatedly struck the inmate in the upper body and face, causing cuts and bruises.

Ryan Phillips, a sergeant with the Daleville, Alabama, police department, pleaded guilty yesterday to depriving an arrested person of his civil rights under the guise of law.

“When police officers violate the law and abuse their power, it undermines the public's confidence in law enforcement's ability to keep them safe and protect their rights,” said Assistant Attorney General Kristen Clarke of the Justice Department's Civil Rights Division. “This defendant abused his power by entering an arrestee's cell without cause or provocation to brutally beat him in the face and torso.”

A date for sentencing has not yet been set. Phillips faces up to ten years in prison.

“Although police officers have the authority to maintain law and order, that authority has its limits,” said Jonathan S. Ross, U.S. Attorney for the Middle District of Alabama. “The defendant lost his temper and struck an arrestee in his cell. This type of excessive force cannot be tolerated.”

The FBI mobile field office investigated the case.

“Ryan Phillips clearly abused his position of public trust,” said Jodi Cohen, deputy director of the FBI's Criminal Investigation Division. “Police officers take an oath to protect and serve all people, and Phillips abused that trust.”