Jury finds one former St. Louis officer guilty on civil rights violation charge

ST. LOUIS – A jury found Dustin Boone, 37, of St. Louis, Missouri guilty on one count of aiding and abetting the deprivation of civil rights under color of law of undercover police officer Luther Hall. The jury was undecided on Christopher Myers, 30, of St. Louis, Missouri regarding his one count of destruction of evidence in a federal investigation as a result of destroying Hall’s cell phone.

Both former St. Louis Metropolitan Police officers committed the crimes during the 2017 Jason Stockley protests. The re-trial of both officers lasted nine days.

The evidence during the trial, which wrapped Thursday, proved that Dustin Boone assisted former police officer Randy Hays in the assault of undercover police officer Luther Hall.  Det. Hall was undercover during the protests following the acquittal of former police officer Jason Stockley.

United States District Judge E. Richard Webber presided over the trial.

“As a police officer for the City of St. Louis, Dustin Boone violated the sacred trust placed in him to serve and protect members of the community,” said U.S. Attorney Sayler A. Fleming. “Our hope is this conviction serves as a deterrent to those who consider abusing their authority and a step toward restoring the community’s faith in the justice system and law enforcement.”

“Law enforcement officers must obey the law as well as enforce it,” said Special Agent in Charge Richard Quinn of the FBI St. Louis Division. “Those who violate their oaths do a disservice to the communities they are sworn to protect and serve.”

The case was investigated by the Federal Bureau of Investigation. First Assistant United States Attorney Carrie Costantin and Assistant United States Attorney Rob Livergood handled the case. 

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