Former Indianapolis Police Officer Sentenced to Prison for Excessive Force Against an Arrestee at Veterans Affairs Medical Center

Michael Kaim, 28, a former police officer with the Veterans Affairs Medical Center Police Department, was sentenced today in U.S. District Court in Indianapolis, Indiana, for deprivation of civil rights, announced John Gore, Acting Assistant Attorney General for the Civil Rights Division; United States Attorney Josh J. Minkler of the Southern District of Indiana; and Grant Mendenhall, Special Agent in Charge of the FBI’s Indianapolis Division. Kaim was sentenced to serve 12 months in prison and pay a fine of $1,000.

According to the defendant’s plea agreement and admissions in court, the defendant shoved and repeatedly punched a patient-employee whom he was in the process of arresting outside of the Richard L. 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 public has a right to expect better from their law enforcement officers, especially those who work with our military veterans - men and women who have bravely served our country," said Grant Mendenhall, Special Agent in Charge of the FBI's Indianapolis Division. "The FBI will continue to hold accountable members of the law enforcement community who violate the civil rights of individuals they should be protecting."

This case was investigated by the FBI. The case was prosecuted by Trial Attorney Anita T. Channapati of the Justice Department’s Civil Rights Division with assistance from the United States Attorney’s Office in Indianapolis.