A Manhattan man made his first appearance Monday after being charged with a misdemeanor of interference with law enforcement for falsely reporting a crime.
The Riley County Attorney’s Office filed the one count complaint against 27-year-old Mike Rivera in early November, based upon completed Kansas Bureau of Investigation report. It alleged Rivera falsely reported he was assaulted by a law enforcement officer June 1 near 15th and Humboldt Street in Manhattan.
Rivera described that after he approached, an unidentified officer battered him outside the home and then at his apartment entrance. He also reported an injury and was treated and released from a local hospital.
Rivera pleaded not guilty at Monday’s hearing. He’s due back in court at 2:30 p.m. Dec. 21 in front of Judge Kendra Lewison.
The June 1 incident was reported just days after a Minneapolis Police officer was seen in a viral video kneeling on the neck of George Floyd, an unarmed black man, killing him. The incident sparked nationwide protests.
