Former Department of Veterans Affairs Police Officer Indicted for Civil Rights Violation and Obstruction of Justice

A former police officer with the Veterans Affairs Medical Center Police Department in Indianapolis, Indiana, has been indicted on federal civil rights and obstruction charges, announced Acting Assistant Attorney General for the Civil Rights Division John Gore, United States Attorney for the Southern District of Indiana Josh J. Minkler, and Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) Special Agent in Charge of the Indianapolis Division W. Jay Abbott.

The indictment charges that on April 18, 2017, Michael Kaim, 27, assaulted a patient whom he was in the process of arresting outside of the Richard L. Roudebush Veterans Affairs Medical Center.  As a result of the assault, the patient sustained bodily injury. The indictment also charges the defendant with obstructing justice by writing a false report about the arrest.

The civil rights charge carries a maximum penalty of 10 years, and the obstruction of justice charge carries a maximum penalty of up to 20 years.

This case was investigated by the FBI and is being prosecuted by Trial Attorney Anita T. Channapati of the Justice Department’s Civil Rights Division with assistance from the United States Attorney’s Office in Indianapolis.

An indictment is a formal accusation of criminal conduct, not evidence of guilt. The defendant is presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty.