Three Lansing police officers will not face criminal charges for excessive use of force in connection with an arrest last year.
On November 10th, officers Alex Rojas, Morgan Schafer and Alec Slobin arrived at the scene of a reported fight that callers said included the use of a baseball bat. When met with resistance, their arrest of Johnathon Hardy led to the use of a TASER and closed fist strikes to Hardy’s head and face.
Following a Michigan State Police investigation, the Ingham County Prosecutor’s office has determined that while troubling, there is insufficient evidence to prove beyond a reasonable doubt that the officers violated any criminal statute.
In a statement, prosecutor Carol Siemon says she also will not charge Hardy with resisting and obstructing police. Siemon says her decisions “come in the context of trying to address the historical wrongs of our criminal justice system.”