Cossette Deliberations Begin Today

NEW HAVEN, Conn. (AP) _ Jury deliberations are set to begin in the brutality trial of a Meriden police officer.

Deliberations begin Monday in federal court in New Haven.

Evan Cossette, the son of Meriden Police Chief Jeffry Cossette, is accused of shoving a handcuffed man in the police department lockup in 2010. The man, Pedro Temich of Meriden, fell and fractured his skull on a concrete bench.

Cossette testified Friday he didn’t intend to injure the man. He says he thought Temich was about to head-butt him when he pushed him and was surprised he fell.

He has pleaded not guilty to depriving Temich of his civil rights and lying in a report about the incident.

A prosecutor reminded the jury that Temich is much smaller than the officer and was handcuffed.