Officer Charged With Battery In Black Expo Incident

INDIANAPOLIS -- An Indianapolis Metro police officer was charged with misdemeanor battery late Monday after an investigation into an incident at Indiana Black Expo's Summer Celebration that was caught on tape.

The Marion County prosecutor's office said the charge stems from what happened when Officer Adam Chappell tried to take a 17-year-old boy into custody during the July event.

According to a probable cause affidavit, the teen tried to get away from Chappell.

When other officers tried to handcuff the boy, Chappell walked up to him as he lay on the ground and kicked him in the head at Illinois and Maryland streets, police said.

The boy was cut in the face and had an injured nose after the incident.

Police said that people assigned to record police response to the night's events caught the incident on tape.

Chappell is a four-year member of IMPD and had no previous disciplinary action, according to the department.

IMPD Chief Michael Spears said the results of an internal investigation were forwarded to the prosecutor's office.

"Officer Chappell has been assigned to administrative duties until the review of the Internal Affairs investigation is complete," Spears said in a statement.

If convicted, Chappell faces up to a year in prison and a $5,000 fine.