Cop beats woman detained for shoplifting, leaving her 60% blind in one eye.

Brandie Redell admits she was stealing at the Von Maur department store in Northpark Mall in February, caught on security camera stuffing clothing in her baby’s stroller.

But when Davenport police arrived to arrest her, things went from bad to worse.

A store video shows Redell being beaten and held down by two officers, punched in the head several times, her right eye swollen shut and requiring a trip to the hospital.

“I was asking him why was this happening and I was crying. I was screaming, begging for someone to help me,” Redell said.

There’s no audio on the store tape, but Redell can be seen on her phone, she says, to call her boyfriend to come pick their 14-month-old daughter up while she was being taken to jail. She says when one of the officers heard the name of her significant other, a man known to police, she says he told her “This is going to get real ugly, real quick.”

She is seen animatedly talking to the officer, identified as Scott Crow. She remains sitting down when the police officer approaches her, and the altercation begins, with another officer holding down her legs.

Police Chief Frank Donchez says an internal investigation found that the officers violated policy and were disciplined, but he says the action did not rise to anyone losing their job.

“We have an Officers Bill of Rights. Progressive discipline is part of the Bill of Rights. I have fired ten people in the past five-and-a-half years. I’m not opposed to firing people when it warrants it. One of the things is that officer was bit,” Donchez said. “I have access to all the facts, people watching TV and video don’t have access to all the facts,” he added.

Redell admits she bit the officers finger, but claims it was to try and get him off of her.

The Chief says County Attorney Mike Walton reviewed the tape and police accounts and did not believe any criminal charges were warranted.

Redell is now working with a civil rights group based in Chicago called Living and Driving While Black Foundation. The founder is David Lowery, formerly from Davenport, who says a federal civil rights lawsuit is in the works against the Davenport Police Department.

Davenport Chief of Police Frank Donchez issued an online statement defending his handling of two officers accused of police brutality.

Brandie Redell says she is working with a Chicago-based civil rights group Living and Driving While Black to pursue possible legal action against the department.  Redell was caught shoplifting at a Von Maur store at NorthPark Mall, and surveillance video from the store shows Redell, her daughter, two police officers and store employees in an office when an altercation happens between the police officers and Redell.

Redell says she was calling her boyfriend to pick up their daughter when the altercation happened.  Redell says one officer held her legs while the other punched her repeatedly, leaving her with a black eye and damage to her vision. 

Donchez says the officers involved were disciplined but that their conduct did not warrant anyone losing their job.  He did not elaborate on the details of the discipline.

Donchez posted a formal statement on the department’s Facebook page Wednesday, August 7, 2013:

All,

Thank you for your comments. I understand your concern and want you to know that no law enforcement agency condones neither unwarranted nor unjustified use of force. However, due to limited public knowledge and information, I don’t know how you can make judgment based on viewing a few seconds of video.

First, when this occurred in February 2013, an internal affairs investigation was immediately initiated. It included interviews with all witnesses, review of the officers’ audio tapes and a review of the entire video tape. Following the investigation, appropriate disciplinary action was taken.

Second, the case, including the video, was reviewed by the Scott County District Attorney who concluded that there was insufficient evidence to file criminal charges on the officer.

I express regret for any unpleasantness and concern this may have caused you involving such a critical issue. Discipline is a complex process and by having all of the factual and realistic information, information not available to the public, my decision was made in the best interest of the community.

Thank you,

Frank Donchez
Chief of Police
Davenport Police Department

A representative from Living and Driving While Black Foundation confirmed their organization is working with Redell to pursue legal action in connection with the incident.

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