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Federal jury clears Bridgeport officer in suspect's beating

BRIDGEPORT, Conn. (AP) A Bridgeport police officer has been acquitted of civil rights violations charges in the beating of a suspect captured on video.

The Connecticut Post reports a U.S. District Court jury cleared Clive Higgins Wednesday of wrongdoing in the May 20, 2011, beating of Orlando Lopez-Soto in Beardsley Park. ``I never stopped praying,'' said Higgins, who had been suspended.

Scot X. Esdaile, state president of the NAACP, called the verdict a miscarriage of justice.

Two other officers charged in the incident, Elson Morales and Joseph Lawlor, pleaded guilty in June to depriving Lopez-Soto of his civil rights.

A video showed police officers kicking Lopez-Soto after he was shot with a stun gun following a car chase. He's serving five years in prison after pleading guilty to drug and gun charges.

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Markley van Camp Robbins

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