A now-former police corporal was caught on camera dragging a teen suspect inside New Castle County Police headquarters. (Credit: New Castle County Police Department)

Former Delaware cop gets 1-year probation after dragging teen Black girl by hair

A now-former police corporal was caught on camera dragging a teen suspect inside New Castle County Police headquarters in 2021. (Credit: New Castle County Police Department)
A now-former police corporal was caught on camera dragging a teen suspect inside New Castle County Police headquarters in 2021. (Credit: New Castle County Police Department)

A former police corporal in Delaware who pleaded guilty to pulling a 16-year-old Black girl’s hair and dragging her by handcuffs was sentenced to one year of probation, according to Delaware News Journal.

Michael Carnevale, formerly of New Castle County police, was sentenced to probation last week.

On July 14, authorities released two video clips of the incident, which happened Aug. 30, 2021. One video clip showed Carnevale dragging the girl from the chain of the handcuffs behind her back. The girl, who appears to be resisting, also appears to have fallen. The former corporal then starts dragging the girl while she was on her stomach. The second video clip also shows Carnevale dragging the girl to a holding room before she drops. He grabs the girl by her hair to pull her up. Another officer then joins Carnevale to shove the girl into the holding room.

The video clips were not released before July 14 due to the pending investigation.

Carnevale was suspended pending the results of an internal investigation. He retired from the police department on Oct. 3, 2021, before the department’s investigation concluded.

Carnevale’s probation will be suspended upon completion of anger management courses, community service and the surrender of his police training certificate, according to Delaware News Journal.

Carnevale also reportedly agreed to never serve in a law enforcement capacity again.

More about the incident and sentencing can be found here.

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