Acquitted Holbrook officer is reinstated

HOLBROOK - The Holbrook police officer recently acquitted of using excessive force on a prisoner is getting his job back.

After a four-hour closed-door hearing last night, the town's Board of Selectmen voted to reinstate Officer John Kearney to his $70,000-a-year post. He will return to work Saturday night.

"I'm very happy with the way I was treated by the Board of Selectmen," the 39-year-old Holbrook native said. "They took care of me tonight."

Selectmen held the hearing to discuss whether Kearney broke department policies and procedures when he threw Daniel H. Bonin, 29, into a wall and kneed him several times during his arrest on Jan. 29, 2007.

Kearney was also accused of hitting Bonin twice in the face with a closed fist and falsifying a police report.

The arrest was captured on a videotape first posted on boston.com.

Kearney was placed on administrative leave with pay as the Norfolk district attorney indicted him and sent the case to trial.

A jury recently acquitted Kearney of three assault and battery charges and of falsifying the police report after a five-day trial at Norfolk Superior Court in Dedham.

Selectmen could have ruled not to reinstate Kearney or asked him to take some remedial training courses before he returned to work.

Selectman Matt Moore said Kearney was asked only to get recertified in using his gun, because he has been out of work for nearly 18 months.

Moore said the videotape did not show other aspects of the arrest.

"He was reinstated based on the facts presented at the hearing," Moore said.

"There are a lot of things behind the tape that need to be bore in mind."