Officer Asher drove away from the court in a white sedan with a broad smile, a cigar in his mouth and giving thumbs-ups to a half-dozen protesters who stood outside the building holding signs that read: "Asher is guilty" and "Stop police brutality

From [HERE] CHICOPEE - Dogged by a clutch of civil rights protesters, retired Springfield police officer Jeffrey Asher appeared in court on Friday, though a judge declined to set a trial date.

Asher was charged in connection with the alleged 2009 beating of a motorist during a traffic stop. Asher was caught on amateur videotape [HERE] stomping and beating Melvin Jones III with a police flashlight on the hood of a car during an arrest on Rifle Street. Jones was beaten unconscious, sustained broken facial bones, nose, teeth, and was at least partially blinded in one eye. Jones claims that he was struck at least 15 times with the flashlight. Officers also allegedly called him nigger during the assault. He was pulled over by police for having a faulty muffler. [MORE] 

Jones and his lawyers contend Jones was unconscious for most of the alleged beating, while Asher and his lawyer have argued he used necessary force to subdue Jones, who made a grab for an officer's gun during a struggle. A witness told the FBI he saw Jones slump to the ground after the first couple of blows. [MORE] and [MORE]