BROCKTON, MASS. (WHDH) - A former Brockton police officer has been indicted after he allegedly lied about checking the holding cell of a prisoner who died while in custody last year, officials announced Monday.
Anthony Louis, 40, of Brockton was indicted on charges including two counts of misleading a police investigation and two counts of creating a false police report in connection with the death of 27-year-old Afonso Brandao, who was found unresponsive in a cell at the Brockton Police Department in November 2020, according to Plymouth District Attorney Timothy J. Cruz.
Brandao was arrested on the evening on Nov. 13 and booked on charges including operating a motor vehicle with a suspended license, disorderly conduct, and disturbing the peace, Cruz’s office said. He was pronounced dead inside his holding cell just hours later.
The state Office of the Chief Medical Examiner later ruled that Brandao’s death was caused by an “accidental overdose.”
Following an investigation, Louis submitted a supplemental narrative to the official report for the case, noting that he failed to perform each required cell checks, according to the indictment.
The indictment further alleges that Louis falsely reported to several Massachusetts State Police troopers that he regularly performed cell checks as required, and observed no issues, problems, or abnormalities with Brandao.
Louis has since been terminated from his employment with the Brockton Police Department.
He is slated to be arraigned in Brockton Superior Court at a later date.
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