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INDIANAPOLIS — A police officer is facing two felony charges and has been suspended without pay after body camera video showed him kick a handcuffed man in the face.
Police say Indianapolis Metropolitan Police Sgt. Eric M. Huxley used unnecessary force while arresting a man downtown last month. Prosecutors on Tuesday charged Huxley with official misconduct and battery after they say he kicked Jermaine Vaughn, 38, in the face while helping to arrest the man on Sept. 24.
After an internal investigation, IMPD Chief Randal Taylor recommended Huxley, a 14-year police veteran, be removed from the force, law enforcement officials told reporters at a press conference Tuesday morning.
"I'm upset," Taylor said before showing video of the arrest. "It hurts me to see any of our officers treat someone the way you're going to see here. There is no excuse for it."
Huxley was one of three officers responding to a report of disorderly conduct when police said Vaughn was "being loud and disorderly," according to a probable cause affidavit in the charges filed against Huxley. Officers told Vaughn to quiet down, but he did not and was put in handcuffs, police said.
Body camera footage released by police Tuesday shows officers ordering Vaughn to "lean back" as his hands were cuffed behind his back. When Vaughn asked "how the (expletive) am I gonna lean back," Shores pushed him up the steps on Monument Circle and took him to the ground.
As Vaughn is pinned on his back, Huxley can be seen stomping once on Vaughn's face.
"Stop. You're done. You're done. You're done," an officer said.
"Roll over," another told Vaughn.
"I can't," Vaughn replied, before officers rolled him onto his stomach.
The affidavit notes blood could be seen on Vaughn's mouth after he was kicked and indicates the man suffered a laceration to his lower lip.
Vaughn was charged with resisting law enforcement and disorderly conduct, but those charges were dismissed Oct. 8, according to court records.