A grand jury in Ohio indicted 11 current and former East Cleveland police officers on Wednesday for allegedly using excessive force.
The indictments stem from a two-year investigation by the Federal Bureau of Investigation’s Cleveland Field Office into several incidents captured on video that revealed “astonishing brutality,” as reported by Cleveland.com.
The Cuyahoga County Prosecutor’s Office released a 14-minute video clip showing officers beating, tasing, and kicking citizens who did not appear to be resisting.
Check out the full video below:
At a press conference, Cuyahoga County Prosecutor Michael O’Malley expressed shock and dismay at the events. “Make no mistake, there has been a cancer growing in the East Cleveland police department,” he said. “We’re doing our best to remove every tentacle of that cancer so that this department can build and grow.”
O’Malley noted that the city of over 13,000 people only has around two dozen police officers remaining on active duty. To assist, the city is looking for help from Cuyahoga County sheriff’s deputies and state troopers.
From Cleveland.com:
One officer stomped on a victim as he was being pushed to the ground. Another kicked a kneeling victim from behind. Another unleashed a flurry of hook punches to a man curled up in the street, followed by a strike to the groin, while a fellow officer yelled, “Get his ass, boy!” Yet another officer repeatedly tased a defenseless man in what Cuyahoga County’s top prosecutor described as “a form of torture.”
The following officers were indicted on Wednesday:
