Former Lynn Officer Admits To Excessive Force Of Man In Holding Cell

A former Lynn police officer will likely avoid jail time after admitting this week that he assaulted a Lynn resident who was being held in custody.

Matthew Coppinger faced assault and battery charges for his treatment of Victor White inside a holding cell in June of 2020.

Coppinger admitted he used excessive force on the 33-year-old man as part of a a plea deal he accepted on Tuesday in Salem District Court.

District Court Judge Carol-Ann Fraser continued the case without a finding, meaning the case will likely be dismissed if Coppinger abides by the court's order and stays out of trouble over the next two years. The judge also ordered Coppinger to stay away from White, complete 80 hours of community service, and give up his career in law enforcement.

Video footage made public in February showed Coppinger, who is white, repeatedly striking White, who is Black, inside the holding cell. White remained seated on a bench in the cell, until Coppinger dragged him onto the ground.

The incident comes at a time when police have regularly been accused of using excessive force against Black suspects. George Floyd's death last year in Minneapolis sparked nationwide protests against police brutality.

Coppinger, who resigned shortly after the incident last June, is the nephew of Essex County Sheriff Kevin Coppinger.