FBI investigates beating of Black man by White Hammond police

Video shows man being punched, shocked, kicked in head by officers


HAMMOND — The FBI is reinvestigating an alleged police brutality incident that involved Hammond Police Chief Edwin Bergeron three years ago. The FBI’s reported initial investigation into the 2017 incident cleared Bergeron of charges, but that was before the public had access to the video footage, which was recently leaked to the victim.

In a special meeting Monday, Hammond Mayor Pete Panepinto told the public of the FBI’s new interest in the case.

“It was investigated,” Panepinto said. “It’s being reinvestigated, actually, by the FBI. We met with NAACP locals. We had the police chief come in and answer questions himself.”

The situation began in December 2017 when Hammond police officers saw Kentdrick Ratliff’s vehicle allegedly obstructing a sidewalk. When the officers approached his vehicle and searched inside, they reportedly found a pill bottle containing 2 grams of marijuana, 2 milligrams of Xanax and a non-narcotic medication for shingles, so they arrested Ratliff, according to the police report.

Read more: https://lailluminator.com/2020/09/02/fbi-investigates-brutality-of-black-man-by-white-hammond-police/