A former police officer in Mississippi has been federally charged after reportedly coercing an arrestee into licking his own urine off the floor of a holding cell, as per a criminal complaint unsealed on Wednesday. The officer, identified as former City of Pearl Police Department patrolman Michael Christian Green, faces one federal misdemeanor count of deprivation of civil rights under color of law, according to the complaint.

The incident occurred on December 23, 2023, when Green responded to a disturbance at a Sam's Club and subsequently arrested a man. After the man was booked and placed in a holding cell, security footage revealed that he had urgently needed to urinate. Despite the man's attempts to inform Green, he received no response and eventually urinated in a corner. When Green was made aware of the situation, he allegedly demanded that the arrestee lick the urine from the floor, menacing him with a phone as a form of intimidation, the complaint states.

According to the complaint, Green positioned himself at the doorway of the holding cell, ordering the man to get on the ground and "suck it up." He then reportedly filmed the incident using his phone, while the man complied with his demands.

CNN reached out to Green's attorney for comment, but there has been no response thus far. Court records indicate that Green is scheduled for an initial appearance and change of plea hearing on Thursday.

This troubling incident follows a previous case in Rankin County, Mississippi, wherein five former deputies and one former Richland police officer pleaded guilty to federal and state charges related to the "torture and physical abuse" of two Black men at a Braxton home in 2023. These individuals are due in federal court next week for their sentencing. As previously reported, some of the deputies were associated with a group known as "The Goon Squad," comprised of Rankin County Sheriff officers who were accused of using excessive force without reporting it.

The City of Pearl, located just outside Jackson, discovered the incident involving Green over the Christmas weekend and immediately initiated an internal investigation. Subsequently, Green was placed on administrative leave and chose to resign on December 27, as announced by Pearl Mayor Jake Windham during a news conference on Thursday. In an effort to address the situation, the city provided video evidence to the FBI and enlisted the assistance of an attorney to review the police department's policies, procedures, and offer training guidance.

Mayor Windham emphasized the city's swift response to the incident, expressing his disapproval of such actions and highlighting the contrast between the handling of this case and the previous incidents associated with "The Goon Squad." He acknowledged that this incident paints the city in a negative light but reassured the public that there is zero tolerance for such behavior within the police department.

The mayor expressed his regrets to the family of the arrestee, acknowledging the negligent and reprehensible treatment inflicted by an officer of the law. he emphasized the importance of law enforcement officers operating within the framework of the United States Constitution.

Green had been serving with the Pearl Police Department for approximately six months and reportedly had some prior personnel issues, although nothing of this gravity.