INDIANAPOLIS — IMPD Police Chief Randal Taylor is recommending an officer's termination following an internal investigation of a use-of-force incident on the city's east side in February.
According to IMPD, Officer Travis Lewis and other officers responded to a report of a burglary in progress on Feb. 10 in the 8200 block of East 21st Street, near North Post Road.
After determining there was no burglary, police arrested 43-year-old Paul Kenneth Johnson, Jr. for invasion of privacy, but a fellow IMPD officer reported Lewis for "unnecessary and excessive" force in the person's arrest.
WARNING: The video linked below contains graphic language and sensitive images.
IMPD released a portion of the video obtained from the body-worn cameras.
According to court documents, a fellow officer said Lewis forcefully threw Johnson to the asphalt outside a marked car while he was handcuffed, had his hand near Johnson's genitals while Johnson was complaining of pain, and reached toward Johnson's private area and twisted his hand.
"Squeezing the genitals for the purposes of pain compliance is not an academy-taught technique," said IMPD Officer Damon Young in court documents. "Without significant experience, this technique would violate the use of force principles taught in the [IMPD] training academy."
Johnson was taken to Eskenazi Hospital for treatment to injuries on his head and complaint of pain to his genitals.
"It never feels good to learn that one of our own has been charged with a crime," Taylor said in a news release. "But I promised our community transparency, and that will continue to be a top priority for the department today and in the future."
The Marion County Prosecutor's Office filed the following charges Monday against Lewis:
- One count of official misconduct — Level 6 felony
- Two counts of battery with bodily injury — Class A misdemeanor
Lewis, who is in his third year with the department and works the late shift for IMPD's East District, has been suspended without pay, pending a recommendation of termination to the IMPD Civilian Police Merit Board.
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