Middletown Police Officer Jamie Patterson was found guilty of two counts of dereliction of duty after allowing a handcuffed 15-year-old boy to be whipped by his ex-step-grandfather in January. The conviction came after a day-long bench trial.

Prosecutors stated that Patterson responded to the teen's home following a 911 call from his grandmother, who requested his arrest after a dispute over electronics escalated. During her testimony, Patterson became emotional, defending her actions by saying she believed she was assisting the boy, whose name was not released due to his age. She testified that she thought everyone around him was failing him and that her only intention was to recommend corporal punishment.

"There's a few seconds window where I thought if I was there, I could be able to have corporal punishment done correctly lawfully, and that is why I let him do it in my presence," Patterson stated. "I acted in good faith. I had a good heart going into it. I believed that I was helping him."

Corporal punishment is defined by the UN Committee on the Rights of the Child as "any punishment in which physical force is used and intended to cause some degree of pain or discomfort, however light." The World Health Organization notes that it often involves hitting children with a hand or an implement and can be considered cruel and degrading.

Patterson had visited the home twice in two days concerning the teen and had reportedly advised the family to use corporal punishment for discipline. On January 2, the grandmother had called police because the teen was allegedly threatening his father with a knife. The grandmother testified that Patterson advised her to administer corporal punishment. The following day, the grandmother called 911 again after the teen argued with his brother and kicked her and broke devices when she attempted to confiscate his iPad.

Body camera footage captured Patterson at the scene saying, "This is the second day I've been here because of you. Stand up, turn around. Think you're a big boy, huh?" She then asked the grandmother, "What happened to corporal punishment, Grandma?"

The grandmother subsequently called her ex-husband, who arrived and identified himself as "Grandpa" on the video. The footage showed the man whipping the boy with a belt. Patterson partially obscured the view and muted her camera during the incident. Afterward, she was heard telling the man, "Grandpa, I respect you. Old school, I like it."

After the boy was placed in a police vehicle, Patterson told him, "He's just doing this to set you straight. They are allowed to issue corporal punishment and what your grandpa did is corporal punishment."

The boy, who is now 16, was charged with domestic violence and unruly behavior. Prosecutors noted that he had visible marks from the whipping but did not receive medical treatment for his injuries.

Prosecutors argued that Patterson's actions constituted dereliction of duty because Ohio law permits corporal punishment only by parents or legal guardians, and the individual who administered the punishment was the grandmother's ex-husband. Patterson faces a potential sentence of up to 90 days in jail and a fine of up to $750 for each count. Her sentencing hearing is scheduled for August 25.

Patterson, who joined the Middletown Police Department in 2021, remains on unpaid leave pending the outcome of discussions involving attorneys and the police union, according to the department.

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