FBI Investigating Jordan Miles Beating
The FBI is looking into allegations that Pittsburgh police officers brutally beat an 18-year-old Viola player.
FBI spokesman Jeff Killeen says the probe is in an early stage that will determine whether there's "a potential violation of federal civil rights criminal laws" and the need for a more thorough investigation.
Killeen says the assessment has begun even though the bureau has not yet received a letter from Jordan Miles' attorney formally requesting a criminal investigation.
Miles alleges undercover police beat him Jan. 12. Pictures taken by his mother show his face covered with bruises and his eye swollen shut. Terez Miles says the three white officers targeted her son because he is black.
The officers have been reassigned while the city investigates.
Police Re-assigned While CAPA Student's Beatdown Investigated
Three plainclothes police officers are being re-assigned during the investigation of a Pittsburgh Creative And Performing Arts High School student's claim that they brutalized him and caused serious injuries during a recent arrest.
"We've taken those officers off of their duty, put them in uniform, are having the Office of Municipal Investigations take a look at the incident. It's very troubling to me, and we take it very seriously," Mayor Luke Ravenstahl said Friday. "I am, of course, not familiar with all the details surrounding the case, but it seems as if there was a tremendous amount of force used, and now the question needs to be answered, was it appropriate use of force?"
Jordan Miles, 18, was in Municipal Court on Thursday to answer criminal charges and tell his side of the story, but the hearing was postponed to Feb. 18 because the officers involved didn't appear, according to court papers.
"It said on the postponement form, 'Victims aren't here.' But the real victim in the case is Jordan, who was beat to a pulp," said Miles' attorney, Kerry Lewis.
The incident happened on Tioga Street in Homewood on Jan. 12, according to the family. Ravenstahl promised that the officers will "be held accountable" if it's shown that they acted improperly.
"I'm not on the street. I don't have a record. I never had a problem with the police before," said Miles, a violist in his senior year at CAPA.
Miles' mother, Terez, told Channel 4 Action News that police beat the student so badly that he was left with facial scars and his hair ripped out.
Miles said he was walking from his grandmother's house to his mother's home around 11 p.m. when three non-uniformed police officers got out of their vehicle suspecting he had a gun.
"He thought they were obviously not police officers because they weren't dressed like police officers. They were in a Jeep and they went on what they call a proactive sweep for narcotics in the Homewood area, and, basically, my client was profiled, I suspect, as somebody on the street at 11 o'clock at night," said Lewis.
Miles said he didn't have a gun -- only a bottle of soda -- and that he was beaten so badly that he suffered facial bruises, swollen eyes and his hair was ripped from his scalp.
"At that time, my face was really numb. I was in the snow. They'd pushed my face in the snow, but when I went to jail and began to, like, thaw out, I was able to feel everything -- the throbbing in the head, headaches. I was dripping blood everywhere. The pain was tremendous," said Miles.
According to police reports, two of the officers said that they are the victims and that they were injured by Miles, prompting them to charge him with aggravated assault.
The officers' version of the incident -- according to the criminal complaint obtained by Channel 4 Action News -- says that they spotted Miles leaning against a house like he was trying to avoid being seen. They noticed a large object in his front pocket and suspected it was a gun.
According to the complaint, the officers said Miles started to walk away after they identified themselves, and when they questioned Miles, he started to run, at which time they yelled, "Stop, Pittsburgh police."
The officers said Miles elbowed one of them in the head and donkey-kicked another in the knee after the foot chase, and they kneed and punched Miles in the head and body, according to the complaint.
Channel 4 Action News' Jon Greiner asked Jordan Miles if police identified themselves, but his attorney advised him not to discuss it. The lawyer stressed that police were not uniformed and Jordan Miles didn't know who they were.
"I can't really sleep at night. I have nightmares, flashbacks of everything that happened. I was accused of something I never had anything to do with," Jordan Miles said.
Terez Miles said she's referring her son's case to the Citizens Police Review Board.
"It's just been a nightmare. You know, my son couldn't be more friendly, more gentle, quiet, shy. If anyone didn't deserve this happening to him, it's my son," said Terez Miles. "I want to know what made those three police officers stop my son that night and beat him to a pulp for no reason."
Pittsburgh police spokeswoman Diane Richard would only say that the case has been referred to OMI for a complete investigation.
Police Chief Nate Harper will not comment because the matter is under internal investigation.
WTAE Channel 4 Action News is not publicly identifying the three officers because they have not been charged with any crimes, but Team 4 investigated and found that one of them is facing a lawsuit filed by a prisoner who claims the officer beat him up.
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Sources: Pittsburgh Channel, CNN, Todaysthv, Google Maps
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