Indianapolis, IN–A former police officer with the Veterans Affairs Medical Center Police Department, was sentenced in U.S. District Court in Indianapolis, Indiana, for deprivation of civil rights, federal prosecutors said.
Michael Kaim, 28, was sentenced to serve 12 months in prison and pay a fine of $1,000.
According to Kaim’s plea agreement and admissions in court, he shoved and repeatedly punched a patient-employee whom he was in the process of arresting outside of the Richard Roudebush Veterans Affairs Medical Center.
“Any law enforcement official who uses excessive force against an arrestee violates the Constitution, which is designed to protect the civil rights of all individuals, including veterans who sacrifice their lives for our freedoms,” said Acting Assistant Attorney General John Gore. “The Department of Justice will continue to aggressively prosecute officer misconduct.”
“When excessive force is used by police officers against members of our community, particularly our veterans, it erodes confidence in our justice system and does irreparable damage to public confidence,” said U.S. Attorney Josh Minkler. “Anyone who violates the civil rights of others will be held accountable.”
The case was investigated by the FBI and the Justice Department’s Civil Rights Division with assistance from the United States Attorney’s Office in Indianapolis.
