Former St. Paul officer convicted of assaulting troubled boy in group home

Jurors convicted a former St. Paul police officer Friday of shoving and punching a teen under his care at Vintage Place, a group home for troubled boys.

Clemmie H. Tucker Sr., 66, was convicted in Ramsey County District Court of one count each of malicious punishment of a child, a gross misdemeanor, and fifth-degree assault, a misdemeanor.

Assistant Ramsey County Attorney Cory Tennison said at trial that Tucker grew angry and assaulted a 14-year-old after the boy got into an argument with another resident over a video game. The boy suffers from behavioral and mental health issues stemming from prenatal exposure to alcohol, according to a children's mental health manager who testified at trial.

Tucker knocked the boy to the ground with a left hook and continued to assault him on Jan. 30, 2016, Tennison said.

Tucker's attorney, Christopher Zipko, told jurors that just before his encounter with Tucker, the boy had assaulted another resident, Zipko said. Before testimony and outside the hearing of jurors, he told the court that Tucker acted in self-defense.

Tucker retired as a sergeant in the 1990s after 23 years. In 2006, he pleaded guilty to possessing about 22 pounds of cocaine and 8 pounds of methamphetamine estimated to be worth $4 million. He is to be sentenced June 14.