Ex-Inkster Cop Learns Fate in Brutal Beating of Floyd Dent

INKSTER, MI – Ex-Inkster police officer William Melendez, convicted in November on police misconduct and brutality charges in the assault of Floyd Dent during a police stop last year, was sentenced Tuesday to 13 months to 10 years in prison.

A jury found Melendez, 47, guilty of felony charges of misconduct in office and assault with intent to do great bodily harm on Nov. 19. A dashcam video showed Melendez punching Dent 16 times.

Dynisha Smith, Dent’s niece, read a victim impact statement before Melendez was sentenced by Wayne County Circuit Judge Vonda Evans, the Detroit Free Press reports.

In the statement, Dent said “no one should forget what he did as a police officer.” The statement continued:

“While his beating of me alone will leave me mentally, emotionally and physically crippled for the rest of my life, I know that things could have been worse.”

Melendez apologized to Dent, his family and the community before his sentencing.

» Screenshot of trial video via WXYZ-TV

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