VANCOUVER -- Two police officers face assault charges in connection with an incident nearly three years ago in Vancouver.
The B.C. Prosecution Service says Const. Jarrod Sidhu, of the Vancouver Police Department, has been charged with assault with a weapon, and Const. Jagpreet Ghuman has been charged with assault.
The charges are in connection with an incident in February 2018 during which a stun gun was deployed as officers arrested a former University of British Columbia football player.
"I'm really happy to be honest with you," Jamiel Moore-Williams told CTV News following the announcement. "It's a sigh of relief, moving in the right direction."
Moore-Williams had been stopped for jaywalking downtown.
The incident, much of which was captured on cellphone video, happened early on the morning of Feb. 11.
Moore-Williams, a young Black man, was kicked and Tasered during his arrest, after he crossed Helmken Street against the light in front of a police car.
He told CTV News previously that the driver of the car honked, and he responded with a gesture, then he was arrested.
At the time, officers claimed Moore-Williams had put an officer in a headlock and resisted arrest. He was charged with two counts of obstruction of justice, but those charges were later stayed.
"I'm happy. I'm lost for words," said Moore-Williams. "It's good to see that these guys are actually going to get put on trial and they're going to have to face justice now."
Video recorded by the man's friends did not show a headlock, and Moore-Williams can be heard offering his ID to about seven officers who took him down to street level.
That video shows one officer kneeing or kicking him in the head, and another deploying a stun gun.
A photo taken at the time showed 14 marks on Moore-Williams, suggesting the stun gun was deployed multiple times.
B.C.'s Police Complaint Commissioner ordered a probe after viewing the video, and Mounties were asked to investigate. The RCMP decided four officers involved should not be charged, but another review earlier this year by the commissioner's office suggested a crime may have been committed.
The BC Civil Liberties Association executive director, Harsha Walia, said it's "rare" for people to see consequences for police assaults.
"This didn't come about easily and it reveals how difficult it is to hold police accountable," said Walia. "Police are often the first ones to investigate themselves."
She said it wasn't surprising but called it "troubling" that both the RCMP and VPD investigated this incident and didn't recommend charges.
"They were very quick to paint Jamiel in an untruthful light," she told CTV News, alluding to the early comments that at the time about the headlock. "We need to be very thoughtful and mindful when we hear police narrative to not take them at face value."
She wants to see all investigations like this one going forward looked into by a true civilian third party, "where no one involved is a former or current police officer."
The case was forwarded to the Crown, and charges were announced Tuesday.
CTV News Vancouver reached out to the VPD for comment, but the department said it wouldn't comment as the matter is before the courts.
With files from CTV News Vancouver's Jon Woodward
