Dekalb County police Officer Jerad Wheeler is under criminal investigation for kicking a pregnant woman in the stomach before arresting her. According to the Huffington Post, the incident happened on December 12, 2011 when Wheeler and other officers responded to calls of a domestic disturbance.
At the scene, a nearly nine-months pregnant Raven Dozier became distraught after seeing officers use a taser on her bother Darius Usher. Wheeler reportedly gave her three commands to back up before kicking her directly in her stomach, as he said he was “taught to do in the Academy.”
According to the Huffington Post article,
Approximately six months later — following an overlooked internal affairs complaint and a premature birth by C-section — Dozier is suing the county as the district attorney investigates Wheeler’s actions.
Dozier was arrested and charged with disorderly conduct. She was told she had the option of going to the jail or the hospital—she chose the hospital and arrived with contusions and spotting. After the hospital visit, she was taken back to the jail where the intake division refused to process her. She was released and given a court date.
Soon after the incident Dozier filed a complaint with the Internal Affairs unit of the DeKalb Police Department. But the case wasn’t investigated. Four supervisors and one internal affairs detective approved Officer Wheeler’s actions saying that they met departmental policy.
Two weeks after the incident, Dozier delivered her son Levi by premature cesarean section.
This isn’t Wheeler’s first “questionable incident.” He was also accused of killing a family’s leashed pet dog and smashing a woman’s face into his police cruiser.
Mark Bullman, Dozier’s attorney calls Wheeler, “a loose cannon,” stating, “I don’t know how a 180-lb. pregnant woman comes at you aggressively.”
The charges against Dozier were eventually dropped. Ironically, they were more serious than the charges that were levied against her brother, who the police were initially called out for.
Disorderly conduct is a charge that can be applied in a wide variety of cases. Often it’s used as a catch-all for cops who simply need to get someone out of their way. If they can show that someone was impeding their work, they can arrest them for disorderly conduct.
Depending on the exact charge, disorderly conduct can result in jail time, fines, and a permanent criminal record. Whether you believe the cops used force unnecessarily on you or if you are facing disorderly conduct charges and are unsure of what to do, we may be able to help. Call us for a free consultation.
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