Milwaukee officials investigate excessive force incident

MILWAUKEE -- Police are investigating one of their own after a precinct surveillance tape showed an officer grabbing a suspect by the neck and throwing him on a table, then flexing and patting his arm muscle.

The tape shows a March 20 confrontation at the 5th District police station following Billy Miles' arrest on disorderly conduct. Officer Robert Henry is seen shoving Miles, 39, against a wall, grabbing him around the neck and throwing him on a table. After Miles is handcuffed with the help of other officers and led from the room, Henry can be seen flexing his right bicep and patting it.

Henry and Officer Rodney Young said Miles was being loud, combative and uncooperative in the interrogation room and pretended to throw a punch, a criminal complaint said. The tape lacks audio.

The district attorney's office said it is investigating the confrontation.

Miles' attorney, Robert D'Arruda, said the officer used excessive force.

The tape "shows an officer assaulting my client. He put his hands around my client's neck, shoved him against the wall, slams him on the table and then he taunted him," D'Arruda said.

Milwaukee Police Association President Bradley DeBraska said Henry's actions appeared to be defensive, and it looked as if Miles was about to spit at the officer.

"If you slow down the tape, what you have is an officer put his hand on the bottom of this guy's jaw to keep his jaw closed," DeBraska said.

He said Henry remained on active duty Thursday.

D'Arruda said Miles would sue. "I heard that the attorney in the California case was seeking seven figures, so I figure this can be a seven-figure case," the attorney said.