Former D.C. Special Police Officer Charged with Federal Civil Rights and Obstruction Offenses for Excessive Force

WASHINGTON - A federal grand jury in the District of Columbia returned an indictment today charging former D.C. Special Police Officer Curtis Holloway with depriving an arrestee of her civil rights under color of law.

The indictment was announced by U.S. Attorney Matthew M. Graves for the District of Columbia, Assistant Attorney General Kristen Clarke of the Justice Department's Civil Rights Division, and FBI Acting Special Agent in Charge David Geist of the Washington Field Office.

The indictment charges Holloway, 65, with one count of deprivation of rights under color of law for willfully using unreasonable force against an arrestee, who is identified in the indictment as A.J., a 33-year-old woman. Specifically, the indictment alleges that, without legal justification, Holloway struck A.J. on the head with a firearm from behind on October 13, 2023, as she tried to run away from him, resulting in bodily injury to A.J.

The indictment also charges Holloway with obstruction of justice for false statements he made to responding Metropolitan Police Department officers. Finally, the indictment charges Holloway with assault with a deadly weapon under the D.C. code.

The civil rights charge and assault charge each carry a maximum penalty of 10 years in prison. The obstruction offense carries a maximum penalty of 20 years in prison. If convicted, a federal judge will determine any sentence based on the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors.

The FBI Washington Field Office investigated this case.

The matter is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Joshua Gold for the District of Columbia and Trial Attorney Laura-Kate Bernstein of the Civil Rights Division's Criminal Section.

An indictment is merely an allegation. All defendants are presumed innocent until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.