Arizona: Phoenix resident Penny McCarthy, 66, endured a terrifying ordeal after United States Marshals arrested her at gunpoint in her home, mistaking her for a fugitive, according to KNXV. Body camera footage shows officers refusing to confirm her identity despite McCarthy repeatedly asking them. “I truly felt like I was being kidnapped,” McCarthy said about her distressing experience. McCarthy was detained overnight before a judge dismissed the charges upon realizing the error. Federal agents claimed social media posts and a decades-old pre-sentence report justified the arrest. Later, authorities blamed the mistake on a “glitch” in the fingerprint analysis. Josh Kolsrud, a criminal defense attorney with years of experience as a federal prosecutor for the U.S. Attorney’s Office, reviewed the case and believes the use of excessive force and failure to verify identity violated McCarthy’s rights. The U.S. Marshals did not comment on the released video footage. An internal review is ongoing.

Florida: The Pasco County Sheriff’s Office (“PCSO”) settled a lawsuit over its abusive policing program on December 3, 2024, for $105,000, the online magazine Reason reported. The PCSO agreed to permanently end its controversial “Intelligence Led Policing” (“ILP”) program, which was accused of targeting innocent families for harassment and intimidation. The ILP program used algorithms to identify individuals deemed likely to commit future crimes. Once on the list, families faced relentless scrutiny, including repeated, late-night visits from deputies, and accusations of code violations. A lawsuit filed by the Institute for Justice alleged that the program violated the plaintiffs’ First, Fourth, and Fourteenth Amendment rights. The settlement agreement acknowledges that the ILP program exceeded the bounds of lawful police activity. While the law enforcement agency claims the ILP program was effective in reducing crime, critics argue that it was a form of overreach that eroded civil liberties.

Indiana: Herman Whitfield III, an award-winning pianist, tragically died in 2022 at the age of 39 after being restrained and tased by Indianapolis police officers, according to an interview with his mother by Democracy Now’s Amy Goodman. Gladys Whitfield related that she and her husband had called 911 for help during her son’s mental health crisis, but instead of medical assistance, police arrived and used excessive force. Despite Whitfield’s pleas of “I can’t breathe,” officers continued to restrain him. That ultimately led to his death. A jury acquitted officers Adam Ahmad and Steven Sanchez of the charges in Whitfield’s death on December 6, 2024. The decision has sparked outrage and further questions about police responses to mental health crises. Mrs. Whitfield, a former public interest law attorney and a current federal administrative law judge, expressed disappointment with the verdict. She emphasized the importance of de-escalation tactics and the need for officers to prioritize the well-being of individuals experiencing mental health crises. The family has filed a wrongful death lawsuit against the City of Indianapolis and state claim for the infliction of emotional distress related to watching their son be killed in the home before their very eyes.

Indiana: According to WISH, an Indianapolis Metropolitan Police Department (IMPD) officer faces multiple charges for voyeurism and misconduct after another officer discovered a USB flash drive containing the illicit videos in a patrol car. Officer Shane Decker, a 25-year veteran of the force, is accused of secretly recording sexual encounters with women without their consent and turned himself in on November 22, 2024, but made bond and was released. The videos were recorded on a department-issued laptop and show Decker engaging in sexual activity with women while in uniform and on duty. Some of the women featured in the videos were victims of human trafficking. Decker, who was involved in investigations targeting illegal massage parlors, allegedly used his knowledge to identify and exploit these vulnerable individuals. The IMPD has condemned Decker’s actions, describing them as a “clear violation of public trust.” Chief Chris Bailey initiated disciplinary proceedings, including a recommendation for termination. Decker was expected in court for a pretrial hearing on January 27, 2025. He was the fifth IMPD officer to be charged with a sex crime in 2024.

Massachusetts: Former New Bedford District Court Judge Douglas Darnbrough, 56, resigned effective November 10, 2024, after being accused of an affair with a much younger prosecutor, Karlyn Butler, 31, by a mysterious “Madam X.” According to the Daily Mail, the accusations, detailed in poison pen letters, allege a year-long romantic relationship between the judge and the prosecutor. The letters claim the pair met in private offices for “sex sessions,” and potentially exhibited judicial bias in cases Butler prosecuted before Darnbrough. The scandal has already impacted the Bristol County justice system with two men convicted by Butler appealing their convictions, claiming the alleged relationship affected the outcome. Dozens of other cases are up for review having potentially been tainted by the judge’s misconduct. Despite the accusations, Butler maintains her innocence and remains employed by the Bristol County district attorney’s office. Public records show Darnbrough is married, though the status of his relationship is unclear. The Massachusetts Supreme Judicial Court will ultimately decide whether the accusations hold merit.

Massachusetts: A December 9, 2024, U.S. Department of Justice report outlined a disturbing pattern of misconduct within the Worcester Police Department (“WPD”). The investigation found that officers in the town west of Boston engaged in sexual misconduct with women suspected of involvement in the sex trade, used excessive force, and discriminated based on race. The report details numerous episodes of misconduct by officers using excessive force, including unjustified Taser deployments, dog bites, and strikes to the head. Even more troubling, officers were accused of sexually assaulting women under the threat of arrest and engaging in other forms of sexual misconduct. The DOJ is calling for significant reforms within the WPD to include improved training, stricter accountability measures and the mandatory use of body-worn cameras. The feds also want the department to put policies into place that prohibit sexual contact with individuals being investigated. Brian T. Kelly, the WPD lawyer, claims the report “makes incredibly broad allegations” without identifying individual officers who should be prosecuted.

New York: CNN reported thattheMount Vernon Police Department (“MVPD”) was the subject of a December 12, 2024, Department of Justice “(DOJ”) report accusing the agency of systemic rights violations. The report exposed a pattern of civil rights violations within the MVPD and detailed a range of misconduct, including illegal arrests, excessive force, and unconstitutional strip searches. One particularly awful example involved the strip search of two elderly women, aged 65 and 75, who were arrested on suspicion of drug possession. Despite finding no evidence of drug use, officers subjected the women to humiliating and invasive body cavity searches. The report also highlights the department’s practice of strip-searching every person arrested, regardless of the nature of the offense. Additionally, officers were accused of detaining and interrogating individuals without legal justification and arresting those who criticized police actions. The DOJ’s investigation also revealed a lack of accountability within the department, with officers facing minimal consequences for their misconduct. Mount Vernon Mayor Shawyn Patterson-Howard (D) said the city has committed to implementing reforms and fired five employees, three of them police officers, after the 2021 investigation.

New York: Lieutenant Quathisha Epps, the New York Police Department’s (“NYPD”) highest-paid employee in 2023, has filed for early retirement following an internal investigation into her staggering overtime pay, sources revealed. Epps, 51, earned over $400,000 last year, including $204,000 in overtime for her administrative role in the office of NYPD Chief of Department Jeffrey Maddrey. The sum made her the department’s top earner, surpassing even her boss’s $292,000 salary. Maddrey is no stranger to impropriety though. Several incidents have marred his tenure, including a sexual harassment lawsuit. Epps reportedly logged 1,627 hours of overtime—an average of 74 hours per week—raising suspicions. Internal Affairs is investigating allegations that she falsified overtime records, signed off on her own slips, and frequently came in late or skipped work. After her overtime was capped and she was reassigned to patrol duty, Epps filed for vested separation retirement just shy of her 20-year mark, forfeiting a $12,000 annual supplement. Her last day is set for January 14, 2025, and she faces suspension without pay during the probe. If her retirement application is approved, Epps will receive approximately $16,000 monthly in pension benefits. The NYPD has not commented on the matter.

Mississippi: WLBT of Jackson reported that former police officer and Edwards police chief Torrence Mayfield pleaded guilty to a federal charge of making a false statement to a federal agency on November 20, 2024. This plea deal, which stemmed from an investigation into Mayfield’s sale of a firearm to a convicted felon, effectively cancelled the jury trial that had been scheduled for early December. Mayfield, who was a candidate for Hinds County sheriff, sold the firearm to the felon in exchange for cash. He falsely claimed to be the actual buyer on the required firearms form. The investigation into Mayfield’s activities was linked to another federal case involving former interim Hinds County Sheriff Marshand Crisler. Both cases involved the same convicted felon, Tonarri Moore. Crisler was recently convicted of accepting bribes in exchange for providing ammunition to Moore. Mayfield faces up to 10 years in prison at his sentencing scheduled for March 4, 2025.

Ohio: Former Columbus Police Officer John Castillo, 32, was sentenced on December 11, 2024, to 46 months in federal prison for his involvement in a drug trafficking scheme and illegal property seizure according to the Columbus Dispatch. Castillo pleaded guilty to possession with intent to distribute cocaine after planting drugs in a home and stealing personal property from its residents. Castillo’s actions were part of a broader pattern of misconduct within the Columbus Police Department’s drug cartel unit. The unit, which included officers Castillo, John Kotchkoski, and Marco Merino, engaged in a variety of illegal activities, including planting drugs, stealing property, and accepting bribes. Castillo was recruited into the drug cartel unit shortly after graduating from the academy because he speaks Spanish. Once in the unit, Castillo experienced intimidation and corruption by senior officers Kotchkoski and Merino, who coerced the new cop into planting drugs, stealing property, and accepting bribes. Castillo feared for his safety and career if he refused.

Tennessee: The New York Post reported that Burrel Davis, former chief of the La Vergne Police Department, was stripped of his law enforcement certification following a sex scandal involving multiple officers under his command. The Tennessee Peace Officer Standards & Training Commission (“POST”) unanimously decertified Davis on December 12, 2024, ending his career as a Tennessee cop. The scandal erupted when married officer Maegan Hall’s sexual relationships with six other officers, including a sergeant, became public. Allegations included a threesome and a “Girls Gone Wild” themed hot tub party. While Davis wasn’t accused of direct involvement with Hall, an internal investigation revealed he received sexually explicit photos of her from a subordinate, Sgt. Ty McGowan, with whom he had been friends for 18 years, and replied “yup” when McGowan said she had a “tight little a**.” The scandal saw multiple officers, including Hall and Davis, lose their jobs. Hall sued the city, alleging sexual grooming by male officers, and settled for $500,000. Davis also filed a lawsuit claiming racial discrimination, but it was dismissed due to a missed filing deadline.

Tennessee: The United States Department of Justice (“DOJ”) released a scathing report on December 4, 2024, finding that the Memphis Police Department engaged in a pattern of unconstitutional policing, including excessive force, racial discrimination, and mistreatment of individuals with disabilities, according to The Guardian. The DOJ investigation, launched in the wake of Tyre Nichols’ tragic death on January 10, 2023, documented evidence of systemic issues within the department, such as the use of excessive force as punishment for non-compliance and discriminatory policing practices that unequally impact Black residents. The report mentioned numerous instances of misconduct, including the unlawful use of force against individuals with mental health disabilities and the unjustified application of pressure to a suspect’s neck in response to suspected littering. Assistant U.S. Attorney General of the Civil Rights Division Kristen Clarke said Memphis “must put an end to policies that discriminate against Black people.” While the city of Memphis has implemented some 700 policy changes and disbanded the Scorpion unit responsible for Nichols’ death, it would not agree to federal oversight of its police department.

Utah: According to KSL out of Salt Lake City, two Homeland Security Investigations (“HSI”) agents in Utah have been implicated in a serious corruption scandal. David Cole and an unnamed accomplice, referred to as “Person A,” were accused of using their official positions to profit from illegal drug sales in an indictment unsealed on December 9, 2024. Court documents revealed that Cole and Person A had their credentials suspended but were not terminated. The agents allegedly coerced a confidential informant into selling bath salts, a dangerous synthetic drug, on the black market. The informant was required to pay a significant portion of the proceeds to the agents, who obtained the drugs from seized evidence. The investigation calculated that Cole and Person A made $150,000 to $300,000 from their illegal side hustle. Federal prosecutors asked for Cole to be detained based on concerns that he would try to obstruct the case by interfering with witnesses, harming himself or fleeing. Cole was scheduled to be arraigned on December 20, 2024, in Salt Lake City.

Wales, United Kingdom: TheIndependentreported thatRebekah Edwards, 48, the mother of convicted child-sex abuser and former police officer Lewis Edwards, was sentenced to two years in prison on November 17, 2024, for perverting the course of justice. Edwards, who worked as a social care worker, played a crucial role in her son’s crimes by actively helping him evade justice. She buried his phone in the family cat’s grave. The phone contained crucial evidence related to his online grooming and abuse of over 200 girls. Lewis Edwards, 25, was previously sentenced to life in prison for 160 counts of child sexual assault and extortion. He used Snapchat while he was an officer to coerce young girls into sending explicit photos and videos, often threatening to release their images if they refused. Rebekah and Mark Edwards were both charged with perverting the course of justice, but the father was acquitted. Crown prosecutor Roger Griffiths expressed concern over the lost evidence, stating that the phone likely contained critical information related to Lewis Edwards’ crimes.  

Washington D.C.: A former Metropolitan Police Department (“MPD”) officer was sentenced on December 10, 2024, to 90 months in prison for the sexual abuse of a 15-year-old girl. Lucius Kearney, now 52, abused the teenager during the 2005-2006 school year while Kearney was on duty as a patrol officer, WJLA reported. Judge Maribeth Raffinan also sentenced Kearney to 10 years of supervised release and 10 years on the sex offender registry. The victim, who was visiting a local police station for a school project in 2005, exchanged contact information with Kearney. Subsequently, the officer initiated sexually explicit text messages with the underage girl. The abuse escalated when Kearney lured the victim to a secluded location and sexually assaulted her. Kearney’s actions were only exposed years later when a chance encounter with the victim triggered her memory of the abuse. The victim, now an adult, sought therapy and identified Kearney as her abuser. Despite the serious allegations, Kearney remained on the MPD payroll for several years. It was not until after his conviction that the department took action to terminate his employment.  

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