INDIANAPOLIS — Two officers from the Indianapolis Police Department were found not guilty of manslaughter and additional charges on Friday, following the death of a man who was restrained face down while being handcuffed and Tased. The jury, which began deliberations on Friday morning, reached a decision in under three hours after five days of testimonies regarding the 2022 death of Herman Whitfield III, according to local news reports.
Officers Adam Ahmad and Steven Sanchez faced trial together and were acquitted of all counts against them, which included one felony charge of involuntary manslaughter, one of reckless homicide, two charges of battery resulting in serious and moderate bodily injury, plus one misdemeanor battery charge. Marion County Prosecutor Ryan Mears expressed his sorrow for the Whitfield family following the verdict.
One of the defense attorneys, John Kautzman, indicated that the team was delighted with the verdict, asserting that police officers should not face incarceration for acting in the line of duty. “We felt that they acted appropriately under very challenging circumstances and we’re really pleased with their exoneration,” Kautzman commented.
The attorney representing the Whitfield family, Richard Waples, did not respond immediately for a comment after the ruling. Officers Ahmad, 32, and Sanchez, 35, were indicted by a grand jury in April 2023 after significant public pressure from Whitfield’s family, who sought the release of the full body camera footage and called for disciplinary action against multiple officers involved.
The footage, made public in January 2023, reveals the chaotic final moments of Whitfield’s life. Throughout the proceedings, both officers remained on administrative duty with the Indianapolis Metropolitan Police, and Chief Chris Bailey announced they would resume their regular duties after completing refresher training.
Bailey expressed his condolences to the Whitfield family and recognized the professionalism of Ahmad, Sanchez, and other officers who testified in the case, conveying that “cases like this are exceedingly challenging, and there are no true winners.”
On April 25, 2022, Whitfield’s parents called 911, indicating that their 39-year-old son, an accomplished pianist, was experiencing a mental health crisis at their home. Whitfield was later pronounced dead at a hospital after being Tased by Sanchez while Ahmad and Sanchez restrained him face down on the floor as they attempted to secure handcuffs.
The Marion County Coroner’s Office classified Whitfield’s death as a homicide, attributing it to heart failure during restraint and following the use of a Taser. The report indicated Whitfield weighed 389 pounds, identifying “morbid obesity” and “hypertensive cardiovascular disease” as significant contributing factors to his death.
The trial’s opening statement from Daniel Cicchini, chief trial deputy for the Marion County Prosecutor’s Office, described the officers’ actions as “reckless,” arguing that their decision to keep Whitfield in a prone position longer than necessary resulted in him being unable to breathe adequately. “In April 2022, Herman Jr. and Gladys Whitfield sought assistance, counting on police to aid their son in a moment of urgent need, leading to a tragedy,” Mears commented in his post-verdict statement.
The defense maintained that the officers acted legally, with attorney Mason Riley stating that Whitfield had an enlarged heart and indicating he passed away before the handcuffing process concluded. Riley emphasized that neither officer heard Whitfield express an inability to breathe during the encounter.
The attorneys for the officers initially sought to have the charges dismissed, challenging the validity of the grand jury process and asserting that the accusations did not constitute a crime. Although a second involuntary manslaughter charge against Sanchez was dismissed, the court allowed other charges to go to trial.
Whitfield’s family has filed a lawsuit against the city of Indianapolis and six police officers involved, claiming that he “died because of the force used against him” and referring to it as “unreasonable and excessive.” According to the lawsuit, the family argues that Whitfield required professional mental health intervention rather than the use of excessive force. They are pursuing unspecified damages, with the civil case scheduled for trial in July 2025 in federal court in Indianapolis.