BATON ROUGE, La. (AP) — A former Baton Rouge police officer who fatally shot a black man nearly two years ago, setting off widespread protests and clashes with police, now faces a misdemeanor charge for an unrelated incident in which he allegedly slapped a suspect.

An attorney for Blane Salamoni told The Advocate the ex-officer received a court summons Friday for a simple battery charge. The lawyer, Brant Mayer, said Baton Rouge police issued the summons even though the alleged victim said he didn't want to pursue charges.

The newspaper reported the 2016 incident was captured on body camera and occurred weeks before Salamoni shot and killed Alton Sterling, a 37-year-old black man, during a struggle outside a convenience store.

Sgt. Don Coppola, a spokesman for the police department, confirmed Monday that a summons for a simple battery charge was issued to Salamoni. Coppola said he couldn't immediately release any additional details.

State and federal authorities ruled out criminal charges in Sterling's July 5, 2016, shooting death.

Last month, Police Chief Murphy Paul fired Salamoni and suspended a second white officer who also struggled with Sterling but didn't fire his weapon that night.

Salamoni and the other officer, Howie Lake II, both appealed their discipline earlier this month. Salamoni is asking a civil service board to reinstate him.

Mayer, who didn't immediately respond to an email and telephone message Monday, questioned whether the battery case is designed to influence Salamoni's appeal.

"Our client files his appeal, and then this charge just miraculously appears. They've had this footage for almost two years," Mayer told The Advocate.

Paul fired Salamoni on March 30, less than a week after Louisiana's attorney general ruled out state criminal charges. The U.S. Justice Department announced last May that it wouldn't pursue federal criminal charges against either officer.

Salamoni shot Sterling six times after he and Lake wrestled Sterling to the ground. The officers recovered a loaded revolver from Sterling's pocket. As a convicted felon, Sterling could not legally carry a gun.

Paul said he fired Salamoni for violating department policies on use of force and "command of temper." He suspended Lake three days for violating only the latter policy.

Two cellphone videos of the incident quickly spread on social media after the shooting, fueling protests at which police arrested nearly 200 people.

Body camera footage captured an officer, said to be Salamoni, screaming profanities and insults at Sterling. Salamoni also pointed a gun at Sterling's head and threatened to shoot him before he and Lake wrestled him to the ground in the parking lot outside the Triple S Food Mart.