Indiana correctional officer sentenced for mistreatment of inmate
A former high-ranking state correctional officer will spend time in federal prison after pleading guilty to using excessive force on a handcuffed inmate.
Excessive Force
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Indiana Black Legislative Caucus leaders optimistic about agenda
The Indiana Black Legislative Caucus is offering a comprehensive and aggressive agenda for the 2021 session of the Indiana General Assembly. The bills promote police reform, institute changes to juvenile justice, and address inequities in the health care system, among other things.
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Year in Review: COVID aside, Barrett’s ascent to SCOTUS tops year’s biggest legal news stories
COVID may have seemed like the only thing that happened in 2020, but for Indiana’s legal community, the past year brought watershed developments that will be with us for years to come, many of which were touched directly by the pandemic. Here are the Top 10 non-coronavirus Indiana legal news stories as determined by consensus of the Indiana Lawyer editorial staff.
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2 Indianapolis officers charged with battery in protesters’ arrests
A grand jury indicted two Indianapolis police officers on battery and other charges after an investigation into allegations that they used excessive force while arresting demonstrators at a May protest over the death of George Floyd, Marion County Prosecutor Ryan Mears announced Wednesday.
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Indy Lawyers for Black Lives’ ‘call to action’ brings solidarity
Eyes and ears of those gathered on the Indiana University Robert H. McKinney School of Law lawn Friday were trained on members of the Indianapolis legal community calling for action to push for racial equality.
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Articles
Excessive force allegations will be the focus of a Chicago court hearing
A judge will weigh on Wednesday how to respond to allegations that federal immigration agents in the Chicago area have used excessive force, following a surge of recent court filings detailing tense encounters between agents and local residents.
7th Circuit upholds dismissal of wrongful death lawsuit filed against Evansville police
The 7th Circuit Court of Appeals affirmed a lower court’s decision that Evansville police officers did not use excessive force on a man who died following a violent 2019 struggle, in a case which sparked nationwide publicity and an investigation by the Associated Press and Frontline.
Former New Castle police officer sentenced to 12+ years in federal prison
The U.S. Department of Justice has announced that a former New Castle police lieutenant was sentenced to more than 12 years in prison after allegedly using excessive force against people in custody and obstructing justice by attempting to deceive investigators.
Justice Department and the city of Memphis to address results of scathing police investigation
The fatal beating of Tyre Nichols by officers after he ran away from a traffic stop in January 2023 exposed serious problems in the Memphis Police Department, from the use of excessive force to its mistreatment of Black people in the majority-Black city, a federal investigation has found.
7th Circuit reverses, finds Evansville police officer entitled to qualified immunity
An Evansville police officer did not violate a man’s Fourth Amendment rights and was entitled to qualified immunity after a physical confrontation resulted in the man being knocked unconscious, the 7th Circuit Court of Appeals ruled Monday.
Judge rejects plea deal by former Muncie police officer, who will now stand trial for 3rd time
A federal judge rejected a plea agreement Wednesday for a former Muncie police officer accused of trying to cover up another officer’s use of excessive force, setting the stage for his third trial in the case.
Battery claim against Indianapolis can proceed in police excessive force case, federal judge rules
The estate of a woman who died after a struggle with Indianapolis police may pursue a battery claim at trial next month after a federal judge denied the city’s motion to dismiss.
Ex-cop gets 14 months in jail in death of Elijah McClain
A judge sentenced an ex-Colorado police officer to 14 months in jail for his role in the death of Elijah McClain after hearing the young Black man’s mother on Friday call the officer a “bully with a badge” who will always have blood on his hands.
IMPD officers found not guilty of battery for alleged conduct during 2020 protest
A pair of Indianapolis Metropolitan Police Department officers were found innocent of felony battery and several other charges Friday that stemmed from allegations they used excessive force during a protest that followed the death of George Floyd.
Supreme Court rejects appeal of former Minneapolis police officer convicted of killing George Floyd
The Supreme Court on Monday rejected former Minneapolis police Officer Derek Chauvin’s appeal of his conviction for second-degree murder in the killing of George Floyd.
Mistrial declared after federal jury deadlocks in trial of ex-officer in deadly Breonna Taylor raid
Jurors failed to reach a unanimous verdict on federal civil rights charges Thursday in the trial of a former Louisville police officer charged in the police raid that killed Breonna Taylor, prompting the judge to declare a mistrial.
Former Gary police officer sentenced to year in prison for violating handcuffed man’s civil rights
A former Gary police officer was sentenced Wednesday to a year in federal prison after pleading guilty to violating a handcuffed man’s civil rights by using excessive force while arresting him.
Former Elkhart police officer gets 1 year for civil rights violations
A former officer with the Elkhart Police Department was sentenced to one year and one day in federal prison for his role in assaulting a handcuffed detainee, the U.S. Department of Justice announced Thursday.
4 former officers plead not guilty to federal civil rights charges in Tyre Nichols beating
Four former Memphis police officers pleaded not guilty Wednesday to federal civil rights charges in the violent beating and death of Tyre Nichols after a traffic stop nine months ago.
Indianapolis officer gets 1 year in prison for kicking handcuffed man in face during arrest
An Indianapolis police officer who pleaded guilty to kicking a handcuffed man in the face during a 2021 arrest was sentenced to a year and a day in federal prison Friday by a judge who said the attack “shocked the conscience.”
Ex-Minneapolis officer receives nearly 5 years on state charge for role in George Floyd’s killing
Tou Thao, the last former Minneapolis police officer convicted in state court for his role in the killing of George Floyd, was sentenced Monday to four years and nine months — even as he denied wrongdoing.
7th Circuit affirms verdict, summary judgment in excessive force suit against deputies
A man who was hit and tased by law enforcement after his mother requested a wellness check failed to convince the 7th Circuit Court of Appeals that the sheriff’s deputies entered the home unlawfully and used excessive force.
Former Muncie police sergeant gets 19 months for filing false report covering up excessive force
A judge sentenced a former Muncie police sergeant to 19 months in prison Tuesday for obstructing justice by filing a false report in 2018 to cover up excessive use of force by other officers under his command.
George Floyd’s killing capped years of violence, discrimination by Minneapolis police, DOJ says
The Justice Department issued a withering critique of Minneapolis police, alleging they systematically discriminated against minorities, violated constitutional rights and disregarded the safety of people in custody for years before George Floyd was killed.