Former Jonesboro police officer Joseph Tucker Harris (29) was sentenced in November 2025 following a viral video incident of excessive force against a handcuffed detainee.
Criminal Sentencing & Plea
On November 18, 2025, Harris pleaded guilty in Craighead County Circuit Court to:
Filing a False Report with a Law Enforcement Agency (Felony).
Third-Degree Battery (Misdemeanor).
Sentence Details: Craighead County Circuit Judge Scott Ellington sentenced Harris to 120 days of confinement and 48 months of probation.
Jail Time: He was ordered to serve 30 days in the Craighead County Detention Center.
Home Confinement: The remaining 90 days are to be served under monitored home confinement.
Incident Overview
The charges originated from an August 8, 2024, incident where Harris was captured on his own patrol car’s interior camera assaulting Billy Lee Coram.
The Assault: While Coram was handcuffed and being transferred from a hospital back to jail, the video showed Harris punching, elbowing, and slamming a car door into Coram’s head.
Termination: Jonesboro Police Chief Rick Elliott terminated Harris the day after the video surfaced, describing his actions as “shocking and appalled”.
Civil Lawsuit: In addition to his criminal record, Harris is the subject of a federal civil rights lawsuit filed by Billy Lee Coram.
Current Status: The lawsuit, which also names the City of Jonesboro and Chief Rick Elliott, is scheduled to go to trial in May 2026 in Little Rock.