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2 IMPD officers accused of beating veteran found not guilty

INDIANAPOLIS (WISH) – Two veteran Indianapolis Metropolitan Police Department officers charged for beating a man at an Indy bar in August 2014, have been found not guilty.

A jury found John Serban not guilty on two counts which include, battery resulting in serious bodily injury and battery with moderate bodily injury.

Michael Reiger was found not guilty for his charge, battery resulting in serious bodily injury.

The incident in August 2014 happened at a bar in the 5100 block of South Emerson Avenue. Witnesses and surveillance video show one of the officers putting a bar customer into a choke hold until the customer was unconscious, according to court documents. Then, another officer kicked or punched the man while he was unconscious. The duo dragged the man outside of the bar while he wasn’t conscious.

That bar customer, was 29-year-old Bradford Bohanon, an Air Force veteran. He said he’s seen the video from inside the bar, as well.

According to court documents, Bohanon and a bartender got into a disagreement, and she asked him to leave.

Court documents said the fight started after Bohanon got upset over his bar tab and that’s when Serban flashed his badge inciting the fight.

Documents show the doorman at the bar tried to break up the confrontation, and Serban struck him in the face.

According to court documents, video shows Serban put Bohanon in a choke hold for a full minute, until he was unconscious. Video shows Officer Reiger continued to strike Bohanon, even while he was unconscious. Video shows Reiger drag Bohanon, face down, while unconscious, outside the bar, while Serban strikes Bohanon’s head.

Serban had been with the department for 16 years and Reiger had been with IMPD for 15 years.

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