Investigation: Seattle cop caused “unnecessary and foreseeable injury” to woman he punched

A State Patrol investigation has determined a Seattle police officer used force that caused “unnecessary and foreseeable injury” to a woman he arrested in June.

The Seattle Police Department requested the State Patrol evaluate Officer Adley Shepherd’s actions during a June 22 incident in which he allegedly punched a woman in the face while placing her handcuffed in the back of a patrol car, causing multiple fractures to her face.

Read the report here.

The report says the incident happened after Shepard and several other officers responded to a home on 48th Avenue South in Seattle.

A woman called 911 to report her son had received a phone call from another woman, later identified as Miyekko Durden-Bosely, saying she was heading to the house to fight him after a previous altercation at a party earlier that evening.

Durden-Bosely arrived at the house, appearing “highly intoxicated,” the report says.

Durden-Bosely reportedly became “increasingly agitated” and resisted his efforts to get her to the front of his patrol car.

The woman repeatedly denied making any threats to the man who called 911, but Shepherd and another officer both indicated she did indeed threaten the man.

In-car video footage subsequently captured Shepherd saying, “My patience is done” and “Somebody is going to jail.”

Shepherd ultimately handcuffed the woman with the help of another officer and advised her she was under arrest

The In-Car Video captured Durden-Bosely yelling “I swear I am going to sue you guys” and resisted getting in the back of Shepherd’s patrol car, swearing at the officer.

She also appeared to kick at Shepherd from the rear of the cruiser, but the video did not capture whether she struck him.

Shepherd recoiled, saying “She kicked me,” the report says.

Shepherd then reportedly entered the back of the patrol car and punched Durden-Bosely once in the face.

She stated repeatedly, “I’ll give you that,” “it’s cool.”

Shepherd in turn ordered the woman, “Don’t kick, do not kick,” the report says.

The officer subsequently complained to another cop, “My jaw is jacked,” rubbing his chin.

The woman was transferred to another patrol car and treated by a firefighter before being taken to Harborview Medical Center.

The report says her face showed “significant trauma” and was fractured in multiple places.

While Shepherd complained of jaw soreness and “shooting pain” in his face, the report says medical records did not reveal any obvious injury.

Shepherd was relieved of duty and placed on home assignment the following day.

After reviewing the case, Robert Bragg Jr. with the Washington State Criminal Justice Training Commission was asked to investigate at the request of the Washington State Patrol.

Bragg ultimately determined Shepherd’s demeanor and actions before he punched the woman were “calm and respectful,” and appeared to follow new use of force of guidelines for the Seattle Police Department.

But Bragg determined that “following the assault he acted in a way inconsistent with the training and policy by not using the time and resources available to him.”

“As a result he unnecessarily placed himself in greater danger and caused unnecessary and foreseeable injury to the handcuffed suspect,” he wrote.

The woman involved in the incident has no felony history in Washington.

Shepherd was hired by Seattle PD in January 2005 and is known for his work preventing gang violence, according to the Seattle P-I.

The report does not make any recommendations on any kind of action, but the State Patrol has forwarded the investigation to the King County Prosecutor’s Office.