A sheriff’s deputy in Ogemaw County will stand trial for allegedly using excessive force against an autistic man.
According to a press release from the Attorney General, Deputy Matthew Viviano (vihv-ee-AH-noh) was responding to a call at an assisted living center. The caller said an autistic man was assaulting a caretaker.
The press release said while officers were calming the man, Viviano pushed the man down and used quote “unnecessary defensive techniques” against him. The Attorney General’s office did not clarify what those techniques were.
According to the release, Michigan state troopers testified that the use of force was unwarranted.
Viviano’s next court appearance is scheduled for November 8.