Women sue 4 Indianapolis officers, claiming excessive force

Two women have filed an excessive force lawsuit against four Indianapolis police officers after video was released of officers using batons and pepper balls to subdue women at a protest last month over death of George Floyd.

Ivoré Westfield and Rachel Harding, both of Marion County, filed federal lawsuit Friday in U.S. District Court for Sourn District of Indiana. Three Indianapolis Metropolitan Police Department officers and one sergeant — all named as “John Does” — are listed as defendants. names of officers involved in incident have not been released.

According to lawsuit, women are seeking damages, attorney’s fees and litigation expenses.

Westfield and Harding were taken into custody shortly before 9 p.m. on May 31 in downtown Indianapolis. lawsuit states that Harding and Westfield were approached for violating curfew but that y remained passive and cooperative with officers.

Video of arrest, recorded by WISH-TV, shows Westfield, who is black, being held from behind by a white male officer, escaping his grasp and n being surrounded by several or officers. re were audible pops and several clouds of spray near Westfield, which lawsuit contends were caused by detonated pepper balls. Two officers struck her with batons until she fell to ground, and she was n pinned face-down by a baton at back of her neck.

Harding, who is white, could be seen and heard in video shouting, “Why her? Why her?” Anor officer n rushed Harding and shoved her to ground, where officers subdued her.

Officers recommended charging Harding with violating curfew order, a misdemeanor, according to lawsuit. y also recommended charging Westfield with felony battery against a public safety official, resisting law enforcement and a misdemeanor violation of curfew order.

lawsuit states that Marion County Prosecutor declined to file charges against eir woman.

police department didn’t immediately reply to a message seeking comment.

Police Chief Randal Taylor said June 5 that as part of department’s investigation into officers’ actions, it was looking at how y were trained to respond to heated public protests. He said officers involved h been reassigned to support duties and would have no contact with public pending outcome of investigation.

Taylor said officials were looking at wher officers’ conduct was “reasonable,” and that actions he saw on video were worrisome.