Officer Brian Spiotti Accused of Assaulting Suspect

A Wolcott police officer faces assault charges following the arrest of a DUI suspect. Now surveillance video from inside the police station has just been released and Ofc. Brian Spiotti says he was just following police procedure.

The 12-year veteran is accused of beating 26-year old Glenn Pelletier while in lock-up back in January. There is no audio on the surveillance tape , but cops say the suspect was verbally abusive and even came at them in a threatening manner.

The tape shows Spiotti pinning Pelletier against a wall, striking him a few moments later and then kicking him into the holding cell.

"Everything that Spiotti did was taught to him at the police academy and he acted appropriately," said Spiotti's defense lawyer, Martin Minnella.

Minnella says Pelletier was not compliant with the officers and makes a move toward Spiotti before he hits him with his left hand.

"Spiotti merely gets him out of his space by using his non-dominant hand to push him away," Minnella explained.

Getting Pelletier into the holding cell wasn't easy either.

"He took a sideways stance, Pelletier, and kept his left foot outside the cage," said Minnella.

And the kick? Minnella calls it a push.

"It was a push that's taught at the State Police Academy for the police to use," Minnella said.

Spiotti pled not guilty to third-degree assault in court today.

Pelletier says he did nothing wrong and claims he wasn't drunk but he admits there were words exchanged that night. He wasn't injured, never went to a doctor and didn't file the complaint against Spiotti.

The state's attorney's office actually brought the charges against Spiotti, but the investigation was not done by State Police, as is common. It was done by Wolcott police themselves.

Spiotti's wife is also a cop and she successfully sued the department in an unrelated case last year.

"Wolcott, especially with the situation with his wife, should've immediately turned this over to the State Police to avoid even the appearance of impropriety," Minnella said.

Minnella has filed a motion to dismiss the criminal case.