Fight with police examined; Bi-Racial Man Allegedly Beaten & Sodomized by Milwaukee police
- Originally published in the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel (Wisconsin) December 17, 2004
Copyright 2004 Journal Sentinel Inc.
Investigation opened after officers failed to cooperate with probe of man's beating
By: JOHN DIEDRICH
A
secret John Doe investigation has been opened into the case of a man
allegedly beaten by off-duty Milwaukee police officers at an
after-hours party in the Bay View neighborhood, sources familiar with
the proceedings said.
The investigation
was convened after several officers declined to fully cooperate with
internal police investigators about the early morning incident on Oct.
24, according to the sources, who spoke on the condition they not be
named because the proceedings are secret by court order.
At
the party, a 26-year-old Milwaukee man was severely beaten and, he told
investigators, was sodomized with a knife by one of the officers.
Similar
to a grand jury, a John Doe investigation is closed to the public and
is used by prosecutors to get testimony from resistant witnesses or
suspects with a subpoena. The sources said up to 15 officers could be
called to testify, both off-duty officers at the party and on-duty
officers who first responded to the police call.
Deputy
District Attorney Jon Reddin, who is handling the case, declined to
comment on whether there is a John Doe probe and would only say the
matter remains under investigation.
A
Milwaukee police spokesman said two officers have been suspended with
pay while the incident is investigated, however, several sources said
four officers have been suspended.
At least four police officers have hired attorneys. None of the officers under investigation has been identified.
The
U.S. attorney's office has contacted the FBI about the beating, but for
now, federal officials are not involved in the case, Assistant U.S.
Attorney Mel Johnson said.
"It is conceivable we will have a role down the line," Johnson said.
He
said federal officials prefer to let local authorities handle such
matters, but if the outcome isn't satisfactory, the U.S. attorney's
office may explore its own case, Johnson said.
The
party began the night of Oct. 23 in the 2800 block of S. Ellen St. and
included heavy drinking and loud music, neighbors said.
Early
that Sunday morning, the victim arrived at the party with one other man
and three women. One of the women was invited and brought the men.
The victim had no reason to believe he wouldn't be wanted at the party, said his attorney, Jonathan Safran.
Shortly
after the victim arrived, words were exchanged and the men left. Safran
said at least one person at the party called his client a racial slur.
The victim, who asked not to be named because he fears retribution, is
biracial.
In
brief initial statements after the party, several of the off-duty
officers told investigators that the 26-year-old man stole a police
badge, that they were exercising police powers by following him out of
the house and that a fight erupted, according to department sources who
asked not to be named.
Safran said his
client didn't steal anything. Martin Kohler, who represents the officer
who owns the house, said the man was not invited, and those at the
party believed he stole something.
Police
were called, and the victim, who had been severely beaten, was arrested
on suspicion of theft, according to police records. Safran said he
doesn't know of any formal charges being pursued against his client.
No
ambulance was called, and the victim was taken to the hospital in
handcuffs. He spent several days in the hospital for his injuries.
Four
days after the incident, the victim spoke briefly with a Journal
Sentinel reporter before deferring to his attorney. The left side of
his face remained badly bruised and discolored, and his left eye was
almost entirely swollen shut.
Safran said
his client has cooperated with investigators and added, "We are hopeful
criminal charges will be filed in the near future."