Louisville jail officer pleads guilty, must quit after alleged assault of PGA Championship worker

LOUISVILLE, Ky. (WDRB) — A Louisville jail officer will lose his job after pleading guilty to tasing a man in handcuffs who was not putting up a fight.

Chase Branson pleaded guilty Tuesday to official misconduct, a misdemeanor, and got his 90-day sentence waived. As part of the deal, prosecutors dropped the assault charges against Branson, but he must quit his job at the Louisville Metro Department of Corrections.

The incident happened in May 2024. The victim, Joseph Cortina, had come to Louisville to work the PGA Championship at Valhalla Golf Club. He was arrested May 21 on a charge of alcohol intoxication while trying to board a plane after working hospitality events.

"Shock, honestly. In shock the situation escalated so quick," Cortina said previously. "I was just trying to process everything. I wasn't sure why it was happening."

A police citation alleges Cortina was not resisting when Branson shoved him into a wall at Louisville's jail and then tased him while he was on his stomach being physically restrained by other officers.

The incident was captured on several body cameras while Cortina was not resisting and surrounded by other officers, according to the police citation.

Cortina sued for excessive force, claiming Branson was suspended for 15 days for using excessive force after an internal investigation by Metro Corrections into his actions following Cortina's arrest. The lawsuit acknowledges he was "verbally disruptive" while being booked but that he was never aggressive, didn't resist officers and followed commands.

Branson allegedly "aggressively inserted himself into the situation" and told Cortina if he kept it up, "it's going to be a hard day for you," according to the suit.

The city paid $70,000 to settle the case.

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