HAMMOND | Gary Police Chief Thomas Houston scowled and shook his head as he sat in a federal courtroom and paged through the felony charges against him.
(View videos from the victim, attorneys and Mayor Rudy Clay.)
The 42-year police veteran and his top two officers were indicted by a federal grand jury Wednesday on charges of beating up and then wrongfully arresting four people suspected of breaking into the chief's home last June.
The Civil Rights Division of the U.S. Department of Justice charged Houston with personally punching a pregnant woman in the stomach and kicking another handcuffed suspect after bursting into their home at 2925 W. 21st Ave. without a warrant.
Also indicted Wednesday were Deputy Chief Thomas Branson, the most highly decorated officer in the history of the department, and Sgt. Thomas Decanter, who has received several commendations during his tenure in Gary.
Branson was charged with two counts of depriving victims of their right to be free from unlawful arrest and unreasonable force, and a third count of lying to FBI investigators about the incident.
Decanter was charged with one count of striking a victim in the arm with a piece of wood.
Houston faces the most serious charges, including several felonies, including six counts of wrongful arrest and unlawful use of force.
None of the three officials has been removed from his post or investigated by the police internal affairs department. Mayor Rudy Clay said the officers are innocent until proven guilty.
Police reports show four people were arrested by police June 1 on probable cause of the burglary: Sheila Baker, 50; her daughter, Melissa Manley, 30; family friend Victor Adams Jr., 28; and Darren Johnson, 40, who lives with Baker and has dated another one of Baker's daughters for 10 years.
Baker was released from custody that day, but Manley, Adams and Johnson were held for three days -- beyond the 48-hour limit for arrests without charges.
The three were released June 4 without charges being filed against them, police reports say.
Manley was three months pregnant at the time, Baker said.
Gary police Cmdr. Sam Roberts said the Police Department could not locate the report Houston filed after the break-in at his home, which is roughly a block from Baker's home, so it's not clear exactly what was stolen.
The victims say Houston and Branson went into Baker's home after the robbery without announcing themselves as police and began demanding information about the incident. When they did not comply, Houston began handcuffing people and beating them, the government says.
Houston, Branson and Decanter turned themselves in for arrest at the federal courthouse in Hammond on Thursday morning, and each was released on a $20,000 unsecured bond.
Houston did not have an attorney and made no statements other than frustrated personal exchanges when a clutch of news reporters and cameramen swarmed around him outside the Hammond courthouse.
Branson's attorney, former Gary Mayor and federal prosecutor Scott King, said he intends to fully investigate the allegations, which at this point, he said, are still a one-sided representation of the events of June 1 and afterward.
Decanter's attorney, Thomas Vanes, of Merrillville, said his client did not abuse anyone.
Branson and Decanter plan to plead not guilty during their arraignment hearing March 14, their attorneys said.
Civil Rights Division prosecutor Betsy Biffl asked U.S. Magistrate Judge Paul Cherry to strip the officers of all weapons, but Cherry refused the request after Branson noted that such an order could put his family in jeopardy.
Cherry then admonished the officers that if he learned of any untoward incidents involving the weapons, he would seriously consider revoking bond and jailing the officers.
Branson is scheduled to receive a lifetime achievement award for his 22 years on the force, in which he had a 100 percent conviction rate.
Roberts said he did not think the indictment would prevent Branson from receiving the award.
