Civil rights, hate crime trial of ex-Burlington County police chief to open
Frank Nucera, who retired as Bordentown Township police chief while under FBI investigation, was charged with civil rights and hate crime charges.
CAMDEN, N.J. - Jury selection is scheduled to begin Monday for the federal trial of a white former New Jersey police chief accused of slamming a handcuffed black man's head into a doorjamb.
Opening statements are expected Friday in the civil rights and hate crime trial of 62-year-old Frank Nucera, the former Bordentown Township police chief.
Acting U.S. Attorney William E. Fitzpatrick said the 18-year-old wasn't endangering officers and the September 2016 assault was driven by "racial hatred." Nucera retired in January 2017 amid an FBI investigation.
RELATED: Ex-New Jersey police chief accused of hate crime, excessive force
Prosecutors say one of Nucera's police officers secretly recorded his comments over the course of a year out of concern about his views.
Defense attorney Rocco Cipparone Jr. acknowledged that the recordings contain "inflammatory language" but said there is no admission to roughing up the suspect.