Tamarac police officer Gregory Lacella brutally assaulted 15-year-old Delucca Rolle in 2019 at a shopping plaza. An appeals court agreed with Officer Lacella’s Stand Your Ground claim on Thursday, eliminating charges of battery placed against him.
In a video recorded by a bystander, Officer Lacella and another deputy can be seen pepper-spraying Rolle before throwing him to the ground, banging his head against the pavement, and punching him in the head several times.
Delucca Role, the victim of Lacella’s assault, was charged with assault on a police officer, and, upon inquiry by local news channels, was found to have a clean criminal record. The charges were later dropped.
During the investigation, Lacella claimed he feared for his life and used the Stand Your Ground claim in court to defend his brutal attack on 15-year-old Rolle. A Florida appeals court agreed with the argument, ruling that Rolle’s aggressive behavior justified Lacerra’s response.