Chicago Cop Charged With Battery, Misconduct After Hitting Man With Baton

Cook County prosecutors are charging Chicago cop Brett Kahn with aggravated battery and official misconduct after a 2014 incident when he struck a civilian in the head with a baton, knocking him to the ground. The charges are the result of an investigation that included the FBI, the state's attorney and the Independent Police Review Authority.

According to the Chicago Tribune, Kahn turned himself in Thursday morning and appeared in bond court. Judge Laura Sullivan reviewed the video of the incident, and released Kahn on his own recognizance. He was issued a $50,000 I-Bond, according to NBC 5, which he only has to pay if he fails to show up in court.

The incident occurred when police broke up a block party in North Lawndale. While dispersing the crowd, Kahn, in plainclothes, slammed Lisa Simmons onto the hood of a car while handcuffing her. After that, cell phone video shows him approaching Jeremiah Smith, who is standing on the edge of the road.

Kahn appears to grab for Smith's arm, and Smith pulls away, but the action is partially obscured by another officer. But what happens next is very clear: Kahn swings his baton at Smith's head and Smith falls to the ground.

In his report of the incident, Kahn claimed that Smith tried to punch him while pulling away and that he feared "receiving a battery." Kahn also claimed that Smith reached for a "black jack knife" in his pocket while he was on the ground. According the Tribune, prosecutors believe the video shows that Smith was not armed and did not fight back.

Readers can judge for themselves:

Simmons and Smith were both arrested, but all charges were dropped against them. They both sued the police department in December 2015, DNAinfo reported.

Kahn's next court date is September 26.

Photo credit: Vimeo video screenshot