Who is Eric Huxley? White Indiana cop indicted for stomping on face of Black suspect who was handcuffed
Warning: The article contains graphic footage. Discretion is advised.
INDIANAPOLIS, INDIANA: An Indianapolis Metropolitan police officer is reportedly facing federal charges after he allegedly stomped on the face of a Black suspect who was already in handcuffs. This comes after the bodycam footage of the horrific incident surfaced. In the footage, Sergeant Eric Huxley, 44, is seen walking and then kicking Jermaine Vaughn, 38, despite the latter already being handcuffed and on the ground.
According to Daily Mail, Huxley appeared before a federal grand jury that returned an indictment charging the White officer with deprivation of rights under color of law. He is already facing charges locally over how he acted during arresting Jermaine Vaughn in September 2021.
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In the body camera footage, Vaughn is seen having an argument with a different officer, following which he is forced to the ground. The officer claimed Vaughn was not cooperating. "The man is on his backside on the ground, looking up. Shores with his hands cuffed behind his back. Sgt Huxley then walks over to him, lifts his left leg, and drives his left foot down into face. Within seconds, blood is visible in in his mouth," an affidavit reads, according to the Daily Mail. "You're done. You're done. You're done," an officer can be seen saying in the video. Vaughn was rolled over onto his stomach and searched. His pants slid off in the process.
Not much is known about Huxley except that he is a 14-year veteran. The grand jury indictment alleges that Huxley used his foot to hit the man without lawful justification. He is now facing termination and felony charges of battery and official misconduct. It also alleged that the incident resulted in bodily injury and involved the use of a dangerous weapon.
"I accidentally kicked him in his face. I was attempting to put my foot on his shoulder and I accidentally kicked him in his face," Huxley can be heard saying in the bodycam video.
Last month, Indianapolis Metropolitan Sgt. Eric Huxley violently KICKED Jermaine Vaughn in the face during arrest! He has been charged w/ 2 felonies & suspended from duty for what he claims was an "accident." This was NO accident! He needs to be fully held accountable! pic.twitter.com/zEvVLt57Zu
— Ben Crump (@AttorneyCrump) October 15, 2021
IMPD Chief Randal Taylor became aware of the incident only after nearly two weeks. It was discovered through IMPD's standard Blue Team Use of Force reporting system. After local investigation, Huxley was suspended without pay.
"This incident was unnecessary and should have never occurred. I would not tolerate this behavior from any community member; Sergeant Huxley is no exception. As law enforcement officers, we must understand that this behavior violates the community's trust. We have confidence the judicial system will bring justice to the man and his family," said Chief Taylor.
"Honestly, I'm here with a heavy heart," he added. "This video is going to make you as upset as it did me. There's no excuse for it." Taylor claimed the footage was released because "transparency is one of those things that we've been striving for". "We've done that because we want to build the correct relationship with the community that we need to have," he said.
A civilian-led merit board will reportedly assist in making the final decision on Huxley's employment with the force. Meanwhile, the city, police department, and the police chief are also facing a separate federal lawsuit that claims two of the officers who reported Huxley for the offense he allegedly committed faced retaliation for doing so. Acting US Attorney John Childress confirmed an FBI investigation has begun. "If the investigation reveals prosecutable violations of any federal criminal statutes, the Department will take appropriate action," Childress said in a statement.
"The video in this incident speaks for itself," Marion County Prosecutor Ryan Mears told Fox 59 News. "I think in a case like this it's very helpful as it depicts the events, what led to the encounter between the two individuals, and you can really kind of see the events as they progress in real-time."
Sgt Christopher Kibbey and officer Matthew Shores, the two other responding officers, will reportedly remain on administrative duty until the investigation ends.