Three former Mount Carmel Police officers headed to trial in February

Dec. 8—WILLIAMSPORT — Three former Mount Carmel police officers are slated to appear for trial in early 2024.

U.S. District Judge Matthew Brann ordered the trial to begin at 9:30 a.m. Feb. 5 in the federal courthouse in Williamsport, where jury selection will begin for former officer Kyle Schauer, retired Lt. David Donkochik and former officer Jonathan McHugh.

All three defendants were arrested in June after a federal indictment alleges all three officers, when making certain arrests, used excessive force including, but not limited to punching, kicking, choking, tasing, beating, and body slamming arrestees.

The indictment alleges that in 22 different arrests, they kicked, punched, choked, and otherwise used excessive force against those they were arresting. In those arrests, they caused bodily injuries to their victims, according to U.S. Attorney Gerard Karam.

Brann delayed the trial in early November after Donkochik's attorney, Brian Perry, of Camp Hill, filed a motion Oct. 27.

Brann also ruled the deadline to file pre-trial motions would be Jan. 2.

Brann's initial order in July said the defense needed additional time to conduct discovery. Brann said failure to issue the continuance would likely result in a miscarriage of justice.

The indictment claims that the three officers took steps to ensure that video of the arrests was not captured by police cameras or if footage incriminating them was captured, failed to take steps to ensure that footage was preserved.

All three officers falsely reported that arrestees acted in a manner requiring violence and then falsely charged arrestees with criminal offenses including aggravated assault, resisting arrest and related offenses to conceal their own use of violence, the indictment said.

The incidents are alleged to have taken place from 2018 through 2021, investigators said.

McHugh faces 14 various counts, Schauer faces 10 and Donkochik faces four various counts of deprivation of rights, according to investigators.

Brann also issued an order in the case granting prosecutors' request to put a protective order on all discovery from either the prosecution or the defense.

The order says the prosecution, defense counsel, defendants and any other person to whom discovery material is disclosed shall take all the necessary steps to keep secure and confidential any personally identifiable information, victim information, medical information or other sensitive information contained in the material.