A man serving jail time on drug and other charges has accused the Bradenton Police officer who arrested him of later beating him and using a stun gun on him, according to an internal affairs report.
Internal affairs investigators found Officer Roger Edwards' actions violated 10 general departmental orders during the March 5 incident, and have recommended that Edwards, a two-year veteran, be fired for using excessive force and lying in an official proceeding.
Police Chief Michael Radzilowski declined to comment on the case, citing state law that prohibits him from speaking about open investigations involving officers. Police officials said they mistakenly released the report before a disciplinary hearing set for next week.
Edwards' accuser, Raymond Adams, 44, could not be reached for comment because he is serving a seven-month jail sentence for cocaine possession charges stemming from an arrest by Edwards two weeks before the March 5 confrontation. Considered a career criminal, Adams has been arrested 56 times in Florida, according to the report.
Edwards, who has been suspended with pay since Wednesday because of the investigation, could not be reached for comment.
According to the internal affairs report drafted by Lt. Warren Merriman, the incident in question started when Edwards stopped Adams while he was walking in the 800 block of Eighth Circle East about 11 a.m. March 5.
He asked Adams if he could question him. Adams said no and walked away.
The men gave different accounts of what happened next.
Adams said Edwards threw him against his squad car before he managed to break free and run. He said Edwards then fired a stun gun at him but he managed to pull out one of the prongs before jumping a chain link fence. Edwards followed and punched him in the face before handcuffing him, Adams said.
When other officers arrived on scene, they said Adams' mouth was bloody, according to the report.
Edwards consistently changed his story about the confrontation when he was interviewed by different law enforcement and withheld information when he was interviewed by Julie Binkley, an assistant state attorney, according to the report.
Both Adams and Edwards were offered the chance to take a polygraph exam. The test indicated Adams was being truthful in his account. Edwards declined to take it, according to the internal affairs report.
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