Disturbing twist in case of Maine trooper Jamie Fenderson accused of beating handcuffed Justin Savage

A Maine man was repeatedly punched in the face while handcuffed by a state trooper who was later promoted, video footage shows.

Justin Savage, 42, lives in Limerick, Maine.

On March 16, 2024, Maine State Police officers responded to a domestic call at Savage’s home, records show.

What took place after troopers arrived at the residence was captured on video, according to reports.

A responding sergeant threw the already-handcuffed homeowner directly to the ground, video footage shows. The sergeant broke his own ankle in the process.

Minutes later, Trooper Jamie Fenderson sat on the restrained man’s chest and repeatedly punched him in the face, dashcam footage shows. Savage lay pinned beneath him, yelling that he could not breathe.

Savage came out of the encounter with a broken nose, according to reports.

The beating left his face in a condition his own family could barely recognize, records show.

Savage was booked into the York County Jail and charged with offenses including assault on an officer, records show. More than a year after the arrest, prosecutors quietly dropped every charge against him.

Details surrounding the violent encounter took more than a year to surface publicly, according to reports.

The department opened an internal review into the beating, records show. While that investigation remained open, Maine State Police promoted Fenderson from trooper to corporal.

The elevation marked the corporal’s first promotion in 16 years on the job, records show.

Savage and his girlfriend have since filed a federal lawsuit against Maine State Police, the state, and three officers involved, court records show.

The federal civil complaint seeks more than $100 million in damages, according to court documents.