Two former Phoenix police officers facing multiple felony charges, including kidnapping and aggravated assault, made their initial court appearance late Saturday night.
In court video obtained by ABC 15, Luis Vasquez Jr. and Antonio Felix had their bond set at $100,000, and their release conditions included electronic monitoring.
Prosecutor Tom Van Dorn told a judge that the defendants used their authority as police officers to cause harm to the victims. A male driver and a female passenger told investigators they were beaten and tased by the officers during an Aug. 5 traffic stop near 19th Avenue and Broadway Road.
“These offenses were committed by on-duty police officers in a fully marked Phoenix police Tahoe, using the indicia of their lawful authority to affect an unlawful detention with no lawful basis, according to the investigators,” Van Dorn said. “They used extreme and unjustified violence against these victims.”
Van Dorn said the officers did not document the stop or use of force out of fear of the consequences they would face.
“Police officers hold one of the most sacred positions of trust in our society on the condition that they will use their authority to protect and serve and not cause harm,” Van Dorn said. “But that's exactly what these defendants did. They caused harm.”
In making his case for setting a $100,000 bond for the defendants, Van Dorn called the defendants a risk to the community, and a flight risk with knowledge of how to evade law enforcement.
On Sunday, Vasquez secured bond release, according to the Maricopa County Sheriff’s Office. Felix remained in custody.
The Phoenix Law Enforcement Association, a large union that represents many Phoenix police officers, issued a statement saying it supports the department's decision to fire the two officers.
