Officer ordered to get training after Black Expo Incident

WishTV
Apr. 03, 2008

INDIANAPOLIS (WISH) - An Indianapolis police officer will not serve time for the way he handled a teenager last summer.

The incident came to light because it was caught on tape. Police were taping the moment for training purposes.

Cameras caught Officer Adam Chappell kick a teenager during the Indy Black Expo in July of 2007. The incident landed Officer Chappell in court, but it won't send him to prison.

"There's no admission of guilt, no admission of liability," said Attorney John Kautzman who represented Chappell.

Kautzman and prosecutors agreed instead to a deal called "diversion."

"That he is going to engage in some supplemental training in use of force in these particular circumstances and the state's going to dismiss the charge," said Kautzman.

"Mr. Chappell did not have a criminal history. He's a good police officer who used poor judgment on that day and this is the proper resolution," said Deputy Prosecutor David Wyser who represented the teenager.

Prosecutors said diversion is common. Earlier this month, two Indiana Pacers reached a similar agreement to stay out of jail after a bar fight.

"I understand you can't make everybody happy all the time, but when we make these decisions we base how to approach these on the facts of the case and not what some other individuals are going to say," said Wyser.

"We of course wish that maybe jail time would have been an issue, but this is the decision the state's going with and we appreciate that at least the charges were filed and that they've followed through," said Attorney Ashley Hinder who represented the teenager.

* Report by Scott Sander, WISH-TV. Edited by Hyacinth Williams.