The officers deny beating Robair and claim he slipped and fell on a curb as they approached him on July 30, 2005, less than a month before Hurricane Katrina struck the city. The officers also said they suspected Robair had  ingested drugs.

But the jury heard testimony last week from residents who said they saw Williams beat Robair.

"Williams believed he had the power to beat a man in broad daylight, in front of multiple witnesses and get away with it," Justice Department attorney Forrest Christian told jurors during closing arguments Monday. "You know that Melvin Williams is not above the law."
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