An alleged strip search has led to a criminal charge for a law enforcement officer, according to local sources. An Illinois State Trooper was indicted in a felony charge case involving an alleged aggravated battery of a man last year. The 32-year-old trooper was released after posting $20,000 bond, and he remains relieved of his duties as of this writing.
According to the report filed against him, the officer is said to have assaulted a man during a routine traffic stop in January of last year. Very few details about the situation surrounding the alleged assault were included in the report. However, it has been confirmed the officer stands accused of initiating “physical contact of an insulting or provocative nature.” Ostensibly, the trooper pulled down the man’s pants and examined his buttocks with a flashlight.
The officer, a seven-year veteran of the force, has been suspended from duty and is the subject of an internal investigation. Illinois law enforcement authorities issued a statement acknowledging the seriousness of the claims and promising to get to the bottom of the case. It should be noted the officer was not charged at the time of the alleged incident, nor has his record been tarnished between then and now.
When an officer of the law is accused of a crime, it is the response of most Illinois residents to take the charge extremely seriously. However, the felony charge filed against this particular officer stands on unsteady ground as of this writing. Prosecutors will have to prove the officer was not acting in accordance with due process when the alleged event occurred, and the defense may wish to carefully peruse the record of the traffic stop in order to get a better picture of what really happened that night.
Source: stltoday.com, “State trooper faces felony charges after alleged strip search in East St. Louis“, Paul Hampel, April 16, 2014