US police officer convicted for assaulting woman

A female police officer in Los Angeles has been convicted for threatening a handcuffed woman, striking at her throat with an open hand and kicking her in the crotch, media reported.

The video of the incident, recorded by a patrol car camera, persuaded jurors to convict Mary O'Callaghan, 50, on Friday, the Los Angeles times reported.

O'Callaghan faces three years in state prison for assaulting Alecia Thomas in the back of a patrol vehicle in July 2012.

Thomas, 35, lost consciousness and soon after died at hospital. O'Callaghan was not charged in connection with the death.

The prosecution's case centred on the video, which showed O'Callaghan jab at Thomas's throat with an open hand and threaten to break her arms and kick her in the crotch. In the video, O'Callaghan then raises her boot and strikes Thomas.

A video from a dashboard camera in another patrol car, which was also played during the trial, recorded O'Callaghan laughing and smoking a cigarette as she peeked inside the car at Thomas, whose legs were tied with a nylon hobble restraint.