# Madrid Court Acquits Four Police Officers in Minor Assault Case Judges rule insufficient evidence to prove police brutality or document falsification against Moroccan youth. - **Source:** [El Confidencial – España](https://www.elconfidencial.com/espana) - **Published:** 2026-11-04 - **Topic:** [politics](https://brifing.si/c/politics) - **Original article:** - **On Brifing:** https://brifing.si/s/bf00417d-7136-4c8d-b545-35d092b8823e ## Court Acquits Four Officers The Madrid Provincial Court has acquitted four National Police officers accused of assaulting a Moroccan minor and falsifying official reports. The court concluded that there was insufficient evidence to prove the officers committed abuse of authority. Judges determined that the force used during the arrest was justified due to the suspect's active resistance. ## Incident Background and Context The events occurred on September 8, 2023, on Bravo Murillo Street after reports of an attempted robbery. A 17-year-old minor pushed an officer and fled the scene, leading to a pursuit. The youth was eventually apprehended on Sfora Street, where a physical struggle ensued, resulting in the minor being pinned to the ground. ## Prosecution Allegations and Evidence Prosecutors had requested a seven-year prison sentence, alleging the officers kicked and punched the minor while using xenophobic slurs. They also claimed the officers deliberately falsified the incident report to cover their actions. However, the court found these accusations lacked the necessary evidentiary support to overcome the presumption of innocence for officers. ## Video Evidence Limitations The court highlighted the poor quality of neighbor-recorded footage, noting that darkness made it impossible to distinguish between necessary immobilization maneuvers and actual assault. A 20-second video failed to confirm if a kick by an officer made contact. Medical reports also did not definitively link the minor's head injury to police actions. ## Witness Testimony Credibility Magistrates dismissed the testimony of a key witness who claimed to see police using batons and heard xenophobic insults. The court noted significant contradictions in her statements, including her false claim of recording the incident. These inconsistencies rendered her testimony unreliable as a basis for a criminal conviction against the four accused officers. ## Minor's Legal Status The minor involved was previously convicted by a Madrid juvenile court for assault, resistance, and minor injuries. He admitted to pushing one officer and striking another during the struggle. This prior conviction for his role in the altercation further complicated the prosecution's narrative regarding the events that took place that night. ## Ethical Conduct Concerns The court criticized the officers for leaving the minor alone on the street, labeling the behavior as ethically reproachable. While this conduct might warrant internal disciplinary action, the judges ruled it did not constitute a crime against moral integrity. The officers reportedly left to assist a colleague responding to a potential sexual assault. ## Report Falsification Ruling Regarding the falsified report, the court acknowledged errors in timestamps and omissions of details, such as neighbors calling for medical aid. However, the judges distinguished between an imperfect police narrative and criminal document falsification. They concluded that these discrepancies did not substantially alter the core facts of the intervention or indicate malice. ## Sources covering this story - https://www.elconfidencial.com/espana/2026-11-04/absueltos-cuatro-policias-acusados-de-agredir-a-un-menor-marroqui-y-falsear-el-atestado-para-ocultarlo_4458966/ — --- _Summary written by Brifing from the original reporting. Copyright in the original article belongs to its publisher; read the full piece at the link above._