A judge has dismissed the harassment conviction of a man who was roughly arrested by a former Bethel police officer in the AC parking lot. Judge Bruce Ward approved the application Monday for post conviction relief filed by Wassillie Gregory’s attorney after video surfaced last month. From a distance it shows the arrest by officer Andrew Reid, in which the intoxicated Gregory is slammed to the ground several times.
Attorney Sean Brown’s motion on behalf of Gregory cited the new video evidence that contradicted the officer’s report of the arrest. The district attorney did not oppose the motion and the judge approved it.
Gregory pleaded guilty last year to the harassment charge without the assistance of an attorney. He originally faced charges for harassment, disorderly conduct, and resisting arrest. The latter charges were dismissed with the guilty plea.
Ben Matheson is a contributor with the Alaska Public Radio Network.
