A former Michigan State Police trooper has entered a plea of no contest to charges of aggravated assault and neglect of duty during a traffic stop incident in 2022 after he was accused of knocking a handcuffed man unconscious, authorities confirmed. Bram Schroeder, 28, from Freeland, made the plea in Saginaw County Circuit Court on Monday, as per a statement from Michigan Attorney General Dana Nessel's office.
The contentious episode unfolded during a stop in Saginaw when Schroeder had pulled over a man for failing to signal and speeding, The Detroit News reported. The trooper believed the driver was intoxicated, however, the situation escalated after the arrest when Schroeder, allegedly hit the handcuffed driver, resulting in his loss of consciousness. Emergency services were called to the scene, after which the man was taken to the Saginaw Police Department and later to a hospital.
In her condemnation of the act, Attorney General Nessel stressed the gravity of the ex-trooper's actions. "An assault of this nature is absolutely unacceptable from a law enforcement officer," Nessel said, and insisted, "Not everyone has the proper temperament to wear a uniform and carry a badge." These remarks were echoed by FOX 2 Detroit coverage of the plea. Nessel further expressed that Schroeder's assault "harmed more than the handcuffed victim, but more broadly it also violated our trust in law enforcement."
As part of the plea agreement, along with his resignation from the Michigan State Police, Schroeder relinquished his Michigan Commission on Law Enforcement Standards (MCOLES) certification. This move, as reported by CBS News Detroit, ensures that Schroeder will not have the future capacity to "abuse his position of authority." Sentencing has been scheduled for March 5, where Schroeder could face up to one year in prison, a $1,000 fine, or both for the crimes he pleaded no contest to.
