Police Officer Sentenced to 325 Years in Prison

Police officers get life in prison

Meanwhile, “Jo Ferrari,” a former Thai police officer known for his lavish collection of luxury cars, was sentenced along with five subordinates Wednesday to life in prison for torturing and killing a drug suspect.

The arrest of the drug suspect on Aug. 5 last year was captured on video, causing a public uproar when it was posted on social media by a lawyer who received it from a junior policeman whistleblower.

In the video, it appears that Col. Thitisan Utthanaphon, chief of the police station in Nakhon Sawan province, north of Bangkok, orders other officers to assault the suspect, Jirapong Thanapat, after he is brought into a room handcuffed and wearing a black plastic bag over his head.

In addition to throwing Jirapong, 24, to the ground, the officers put more bags over his head. Jirapong then appeared to go limp as one of the officers kneeled on him briefly. He was sent to a hospital after attempts to revive him failed.

As a result of the officers’ efforts to revive the victim and compensate his family, the death sentences for the six defendants convicted of premeditated murder, torturing, or using cruel acts, and two lesser charges were reduced to life in prison.