'Officer of the Year' caught on camera attacking 60-year-old man asking for help

INDIANAPOLIS - An I-Team 8 investigation has prompted IMPD to launch an immediate internal investigation, after seeing video of an arrest a police officer made in the lobby of the JW Marriott in Indianapolis.

An Indianapolis Metropolitan Police Department officer was called to a dispute in the lobby of the JW Marriott in September. The hotel's video cameras recorded the dispute involving a business owner from Maryland who was in town for a convention. He and his employee were seen speaking to hotel security in the video.

Then police arrive. Within 16 seconds, the officer is seen throwing the 60-year-old business owner to the ground.

On Sept. 6, 2012, Brian Hudkins, who owns a home theater installation company in Maryland, was in town attending the CEDIA trade show, an event he helped create. He and his employees checked in to the JW Marriott that day and went out to dinner downtown.

When they came back, Hudkins' employee went to his room on the 31st floor, but he couldn't get in his room and heard people inside. Concerned he was walking in on a theft, he called Hudkins and the two went to hotel management.

"I think it's fair to say they were upset," Hudkins' attorney, Scott Barnhart said. "I don't know the volume of the conversation but I know they certainly were expressing their displeasure with what was happening."

Hudkins said he even urged the hotel to call police.

"When the officer showed up, he directed Mr. Hudkins to quiet down. He told him that he would once the issue was resolved," Barnhart said. "He was trying to resolve the issue and hoped the police would help him."

What happened next is all captured on hotel cameras. I-Team 8 obtained the video that was entered as evidence in this case. There is no audio on the hotel's video.

The police report and Hudkins' allegations describe what happened next.

"When the officer showed up, he directed Mr. Hudkins to quiet down," said Barnhart. "He told him that he would once the issue was resolved. He was trying to resolve the issue and hoped the police would help him."

After being thrown to the ground and handcuffed in the lobby, Hudkins was brought in handcuffs out of the hotel to be taken to jail. As he's taken to the squad car, video shows Officer Wilson throws him to the ground again.

"There appears to be no reason for that," says Barnhart. "He was cooperating. He was handcuffed at the time."

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