A Middletown, Ohio police officer has been convicted on two counts of dereliction of duty after she encouraged a family member to whip a handcuffed 15-year-old boy with a belt.
Following a day-long bench trial, Officer Jamie Patterson was found guilty Thursday in connection with the January 3 incident, which unfolded inside the teen’s own home.
Court records show Patterson had responded to the residence twice within two days after the teen’s grandmother, his legal guardian, called 911 over behavioral issues. During the second visit, Patterson reportedly suggested “corporal punishment” as a solution and later stood by as the grandmother’s ex-husband arrived with a leather belt and struck the handcuffed teen several times.
Body camera footage played during the trial showed Patterson turning away and muting her camera during the punishment, which she later told investigators she considered a “private matter.” A state investigator testified this made it impossible to confirm exactly how many times the teen was struck.
Taking the stand in her own defense, an emotional Patterson said she believed she was helping a child who had been “failed” by the adults and systems around him, insisting she “acted in good faith.” However, under cross-examination, she admitted to recommending corporal punishment to parents on “numerous” prior occasions.
The teen’s grandmother testified that both boys in her care had suffered abuse before coming into her custody and were currently in counseling. Disturbing footage also captured the teen, distraught after the punishment, expressing a desire to die while being placed in the patrol car.
Prosecutors noted that while Ohio law permits corporal punishment from parents or guardians, it does not extend to the grandmother’s ex-husband, who was not a legal guardian.
The Ohio Bureau of Criminal Investigation examined the case before it was presented to a grand jury by the Butler County Prosecutor’s Office. Patterson remains on unpaid leave and faces sentencing on August 25, with penalties ranging from probation to jail time.
