CHICAGO― The U.S. Justice Department indicted a Chicago police officer for allegedly using excessive force by punching and kicking a victim, and then, lying about it in a police report to cover up the 2012 incident, officials announced Thursday.
The 37-year-old defendant, Aldo Brown, was indicted on one count of violating the unnamed victim’s civil rights to be free from unlawful seizures and the use of unreasonable force by a law enforcement officer and two counts of obstruction of justice.
Brown joined the Chicago Police Department in December 2002. He will be arraigned at a later date, officials said.
According to the indictment, these are the allegations:
- On Sept. 27, 2012, Brown and Officer A entered a convenience store located on East 76th Street in Chicago.
- When they arrived, the officers placed certain individuals inside the store in handcuffs, including Victim A. Brown and Officer A then began searching the store and the individuals inside.
- Shortly after Officer A removed the handcuffs from Victim A, Brown allegedly struck Victim A multiple times, resulting in bodily injury.
- While Victim A was lying face down on the floor of the store, again in handcuffs, Brown recovered a firearm from Victim A’s rear pants pocket. Then, while Victim A was still handcuffed and lying face down, Brown allegedly kicked Victim A. Brown and Officer A then arrested Victim A.
- One obstruction of justice count alleges that Brown made false statements in a tactical response report, including that Victim A was an “active resister,” who “fled” and “pulled away.”
- The report did not indicate that Brown punched or kicked Victim A.
- Brown allegedly knew that Victim A did not actively resist, attempt to flee the situation, or pull away, and Brown knew that he punched and kicked Victim A.
The second obstruction count alleges that Brown lied in an arrest report, according to the indictment:
P.O. Brown approached the alleged victim to conduct a field interview at which time the above subject stated to P.O. Brown, “I got some weed on me” and reached toward his rear pants pocket at which time P.O. Brown observed a handgun inside the above subject rear pants pocket.
P.O. Brown conducted a emergency take down for officer safety and recovered the gun from the above subject rear pants pocket.
The above subject was trying to pull away from P.O. Brown at which time P.O. Brown delivered a open hand stun to gain control of the above subject.
Brown allegedly knew the arrest report was false for multiple reasons, including the following, according to the indictment.
That he did not observe a firearm on Victim A at the time of a field interview
He did not know that Victim A had a firearm in his possession until after he struck Victim A multiple times, handcuffed him for a second time.
Victim A was lying on the floor of the convenience store; and Victim A did not pull away from him as the arrest report indicated.
Brown is presumed innocent until proven guilty.
T