Bond set for two IMPD officers charged for death of Herman Whitfield III

An initial hearing took place Friday for the two Indianapolis Metropolitan Police Department officers indicted by a grand jury for their alleged roles in the in-custody death of Herman Whitfield III.

The cases for indicted IMPD officers Adam Ahmad and Steven Sanchez will move through the Marion County Superior Court. Bond for each officer was set Friday at $15,000. Both are still working for IMPD on administrative duties.

Ahmad has been indicted on felony charges of involuntary manslaughter, reckless homicide, battery resulting in serious bodily injury and battery resulting in moderate injury. He also faces a misdemeanor battery charge.

Sanchez has been indicted on two felony counts of involuntary manslaughter. Additionally, he faces felony charges of reckless homicide, battery resulting in serious bodily injury and battery resulting in moderate injury. He has also been charged with one misdemeanor count of battery.

Whitfield III died April 25, 2022 after six IMPD officers responded to his mental health crisis at his parent’s home. He was tased twice and placed in the prone position for several minutes by officers until he became unresponsive. Whitfield III was pronounced dead at a nearby hospital shortly afterward.

The Marion County Coroner’s Office ruled his death a homicide, citing the cause of death as “cardiopulmonary arrest in the setting of law enforcement subdual, prone restraint, and conducted electrical weapon use.”

Marion County Prosecutor Ryan Mears said Thursday that he does not expect the other four officers who responded to the call to be criminally charged.

The Whitfield family filed a wrongful death lawsuit against the city last year that remains ongoing. At a press conference Thursday, Rich Waples, an attorney representing the family, said he believes all six of the officers are still civilly liable.

In a statement released Friday, the Indianapolis Fraternal Order of Police said the police union has requested that IMPD change its response protocols for mental health incidents.

The FOP asks that all calls for assistance with anyone experiencing a mental health crisis be referred to Indianapolis Emergency Medical Services and fire services for medical care. The police union also requests that law enforcement no longer respond to “mental health runs, mental health disturbances, mental health crisis or mental health delirium unless a known crime or articulated threat of a crime has taken place.”

A jury trial is currently set for July 11 for both Ahmad and Sanchez.

Contact WFYI criminal justice reporter Katrina Pross at kpross@wfyi.org. Follow on Twitter: @katrina_pross.

Pross is a Corps Member of Report for America, an initiative of The GroundTruth Project.