Date of Offense
Complaint
Statement
Sgt. Joshua Fister has been the subject of multiple allegations involving the use of neck restraints and choking. In a 2015 incident involving veteran Derrick Hathaway, Fister was accused of strangling the handcuffed complainant in a holding cell; medical photos later showed bruising and marks around the complainant's neck. This incident resulted in a $25,000 settlement by the VA.
Furthermore, Fister was identified by a fellow officer in a whistleblower report for a nearly identical 2015 incident where he allegedly choked a non-violent, suicidal patient until the individual's "eyeballs were popping out." These repeated allegations of life-threatening force against vulnerable patients suggest a pattern of behavior relevant to Fister's credibility and use-of-force history under Giglio-Brady standards. (See: https://theintercept.com/2019/07/08/veterans-affairs-police-va/)
