The judge refuses to dismiss charges in the death of Herman Whitfield III

The parents of Herman Whitfield III stood behind closed doors Monday waiting for a judge to decide whether to dismiss or send to trial the case against the two Indianapolis police officers charged in their son's death.

“I just hope there is justice in this situation,” said Herman Whitfield Jr., Whitfield III’s father. “These officers are citizens before they are public servants, so they should be held accountable to the laws and standards of this nation just as we do as citizens.”

Gladys Whitfield, Whitfield III's mother, believes the officers acted wrongly.

“There’s no doubt in my mind about that,” she said.

The two officers' lawyers had made a final attempt to have the case dropped. After an hour-long hearing, attorneys left the courtroom to give the Whitfields good news: Marion County Superior Court Judge Charles Miller ruled against the motion to dismiss the charges against the officers and set a trial date of December 2nd firmly.

The father and mother were joined outside the courtroom Monday by friends, family and community members demanding justice for Whitfield III, a 39-year-old Black man who died after being restrained by police in his family's Indianapolis home.

It's been two and a half years since Whitfield's death rocked the Indianapolis community, prompting calls for criminal justice reforms and forcing the Indianapolis Metropolitan Police Department to re-examine how it responds to mental health calls.

IMPD officers Adam Ahmad, 32, and Steven Sanchez, 35, are charged with involuntary manslaughter, involuntary manslaughter and assault in connection with Whitfield's death.

The family is also pursuing a separate civil lawsuit against the city of Indianapolis, although the outcome will not be determined until the criminal case is completed, said Richard Waples, the family's attorney.

Whitfield's death

On April 25, 2022, Gladys Whitfield called 911 to request an ambulance after her son was behaving erratically. She thought he was having a mental health crisis. Instead, six IMPD officers responded to the call.

Body camera footage of the incident shows a naked Whitfield pacing around the home in northeast Indianapolis as police try to convince Whitfield to get dressed and leave the house to go to the hospital.

Sanchez then used his Taser on Whitfield twice before officers forced Whitfield face down on the ground and handcuffed him.

While Whitfield is being handcuffed, he can be heard saying, “I can't breathe.”

The Marion County Coroner's Office ruled Whitfield's death a homicide due to heart failure while he was being restrained by police.

Whitfield's attorneys argue that IMPD violated its own restraint policy, which states that officers do not restrain people in custody “in a manner that restricts their ability to breathe.”

Whitfield, who was remembered as a talented pianist and composer, prompted Black faith leaders and community members after his death to call for faster implementation of the city's doctor-led Community Response Team, which sends mental health professionals in place of laws to help people in mental health conditions Crisis to help enforcement.

Peter Blanchard is responsible for local government. Reach him at 317-605-4836 or [email protected]. Follow him on X @peterlblanchard.

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