LITTLE ROCK, Ark. — Joseph Tucker Harris, a former police officer from Jonesboro, Arkansas, has been arrested and charged with aggravated assault after violent incidents caught on video last year. The 29-year-old was apprehended on Tuesday, facing felony charges including aggravated assault, false reporting, and misdemeanor third-degree battery. Harris was subsequently released from a county detention facility after posting a $15,000 bond.

The former officer was dismissed from his position in August following the release of footage showing him engaging in aggressive behavior toward a handcuffed inmate, identified as Billy Lee Coram. This confrontation occurred while Coram was being transferred back to jail from a local hospital in Craighead County. The patrol car’s camera revealed Harris delivering punches, elbow strikes, and forcefully slamming a car door against Coram’s head during the transfer.

As of now, there is no listed contact information for Harris, and it’s unclear whether he has legal representation in this particular matter. An attorney who represents him in a separate federal lawsuit initiated by Coram did not provide any immediate comment when contacted.

Coram has initiated a federal lawsuit against Harris, the city of Jonesboro, and the city’s police chief, claiming that his constitutional rights were infringed upon during the incident. The legal proceedings are expected to commence with a trial set for May 2026. The lawsuit details the violent encounter that occurred while Coram, dressed in a hospital gown, was found unrestrained in the moving patrol car, attempting to harm himself with a seatbelt after swallowing a bag of fentanyl. The suit indicates that he was trying to expel the substance when he panicked and wrapped the belt around his neck.

During the video, as the vehicle came to a stop, Harris could be seen delivering multiple strikes to Coram’s face while detangling the seatbelt from the inmate’s neck before continuing the assault by slamming the car door onto him. The violent encounter has sparked discussions regarding police conduct and the treatment of those in custody, highlighting the complications surrounding mental health and substance abuse in such situations.