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On the same day a Michigan State Police trooper was charged in the taser death of a teen, Wayne County Prosecutor Kym Worthy also announced charges against three Detroit cops in three incidents involving assaults of citizens.
"Overwhelmingly most police officers are good, hard-working, and honest people," Worthy says in a statement. "[Mis]behavior cannot be tolerated and seriously undermines the good work that most police officers do on a daily basis."
In one case, Officer Lonnie Wade, 65, is charged with assault with intent to do great bodily harm, felonious assault and two counts of misconduct.
The case involves a customer, David Bivins, at a Meijer store at 8 Mile and Woodward last Oct. 10 at 8:40 p.m. while Wade was working off-duty -- in uniform -- as a security officer.
Wade approached Bivins in the vestibule of the store to inquire about shopping bags in Bivins’ cart. Wade allegedly asked to see a receipt. Bivins said his girlfriend had it.
Shortly thereafter, his girlfriend showed Wade the receipt. Upset by the encounter, she then took the bags and walked back into the store to return the items, the prosecutor's office said.
Wade remained with Bivins in the vestibule and the two argued. Bivins pulled out a cell phone, then Wade came over to him and grabbed his wrist, telling him he was under arrest.
Bivins pulled away to resist arrest. Wade quickly produced a baton and began striking Bivins.
Bivins doesn't show aggressive behavior in the video, even when struck by the baton, the release says. The two men moved from the store to the parking lot, where Bivins continued to pull away from Wade and ask why he was under arrest.
Wade tells Bivins he is being arrested for disorderly conduct. It is alleged that he struck Bivens in the head and face with his baton, injuring him. The incident was recorded by a civilian witness and observed by others.
East-Side Gas Station Case
In an unrelated incident, Detroit Police Officer Richard Billingslea, 25, is charged in connection with assaults on Michaele Jackson, 39, and D’Marco Craft, 26, both of Detroit,, at a Mobil gas station in the 17000 block of Harper on Detroit's east side.
On May 31 around 1:40 a.m., Billingslea and his partner stopped at the Mobil Gas Station in the 17000 block of Harper in their marked scout car.
Billingslea argued with Jackson, a friend of D’Marco Craft who was previously known to the officer. The argument escalated into an assault during which Jackson was pepper-sprayed and beaten, the prosecutor's office alleges.
Craft recorded the assault on his cell phone, which was taken by another officer who responded to the location. Billingslea allegedly disposed of Craft’s cell phone in a trash can in the store. Jackson was transported to a local hospital for treatment.
Billingslea faces charges of charges of assault with intent to commit great bodily harm, aggravated assault, obstruction of justice, misconduct in office and assault and battery.
Third Case
Former Detroit Police Officer Edward Hicks, 28, has been charged in the assault of Deonta Stewart, 31, of Detroit.
On Aug. 30, 2016, around 10 p.m., Hicks and his partner drove up on Stewart, who was walking in the area of the Martin Luther King Homes at Chene and Lafayette Streets on Detroit's east side, according to the prosecutor's office.
Hicks allegedly yelled for Stewart to stop, but he ran. Stewart looked back and realized he was being pursued by the police. He stopped running.
Hicks then allegedly punched Stewart in the face multiple times, causing significant facial injuries and placed him under arrest.
Stewart’s transport to the Detroit Detention Center (DDC) was delayed.
Before taking Stewart to the Detroit Detention Center, Hicks allegedly told Stewart to give a false statement to the intake officer about his arrest and injuries. Stewart later sought medical treatment at a local hospital.
Officer Hicks faces charges of assault with intent to commit great bodily harm, aggravated assault, obstruction of justice and misconduct.