Prince George’s County police officer found guilty of assaulting handcuffed Black teen

SUITLAND, Md. - A judge found a Prince George's County police officer guilty of second degree assault and misconduct in office Tuesday for assaulting a handcuffed Black teen during a traffic stop.

Corporal Darryl Wormuth pulled the teen over in the Suitalnd area on October 20, 2020. During the stop, Wormuth grabbed the teen by the neck and assaulted him while he was in handcuffs.

Fellow officers who were on the scene alerted their commanders to the incident. His police powers were suspended several days later and he was suspended without pay.

Wormuth has been with the Prince George's County Police Department since 2007. He was indicted on April 27, 2021.

"This was a case in which a young man who was placed in handcuffs and fully compliant was unnecessarily assaulted by Corporal Wormuth," said Prince George's County State's Attorney Aisha Braveboy. "I am very pleased with the judge's decision, and I want to thank the prosecutors for their hard work on this case. I also want to thank the officers who came forward despite how unpopular it would be. It is largely because of their willingness to do the right thing that we were able to deliver justice today."

He will be sentenced on Friday, May 26.

In 2018, Wormuth was applauded after rescuing a 1-year-old girl from a hot car in Palmer Park.