Indianapolis, IN

Thu 23 August 2007

So, I’m thinking about the police beating of a teenager. During the Indiana Black Expo’s Summer Celebration on July 21, a police officer was filmed beating a teenager. The teenager was initially arrested for public intoxication, resisting arrest, and battery, but no charges were ever filed. The video, filmed by a member of the Indianapolis Metropolitan Police Department, showed that the teenager was contained on the sidewalk, but then the officer, Adam Chappell, came back and kicked him again. I can understand if an officer has to use some force to subdue someone who is resisting arrest, but once they are lying there, you don’t need to hit them again. I heard that the IMPD said that the force used was appropriate. How is kicking someone in the head appropriate? Chappell faces misdemeanor battery charges, and the teenager recovers at home (I believe he was from Illinois). I just hope that the teenager knows that even though he wasn’t officially charged with public intoxication, resisting arrest and battery, he should be careful next time. (Why wasn’t he at least charged with underage drinking?) I hope that Chappell knows what an embarrassment he has put on the IMPD. It’s even made national news. But I hope that that teenager know that he can’t go around and do dumb crap like that. He got lucky this time (in a way), that those charges didn’t go on his record, but next time might not be the same. No, it wasn’t right that Chappell was overly-rough with him, but if he hadn’t have been drinking and resisting arrest, then it wouldn’t have risen to the level it did.

: police brutality, Indiana Black Expo, Summer Celebration