Middletown Police Officer Jamie Patterson was found guilty of two counts of dereliction of duty on Thursday after allowing a handcuffed 15-year-old boy in her custody to be whipped by his ex-step-grandfather with a belt in January. The conviction came after a day-long bench trial.
Prosecutors stated Patterson responded to the teen's home after his grandmother called 911, requesting he be arrested following a dispute over electronics that escalated to a physical altercation. During her defense, Patterson, who joined the Middletown Police Department in 2021, cried on the stand. She testified that she believed her actions were intended to help the boy, whose name was not released due to his age.
"Everyone around him was failing him, including the legal system, his probation officer and his parents, so the only thing in my heart was to recommend corporal punishment," Patterson said. "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."
Body camera footage captured Patterson asking the grandmother about "corporal punishment" after arriving at the residence for the second time in two days regarding the teen. The grandmother then called her ex-husband, who, identified as "Grandpa" in the video, proceeded to whip the boy with a belt. Patterson partially turned her body away and muted her camera during the incident. After the whipping, Patterson was heard telling the man, "Grandpa, I respect you. Old school, I like it."
Once the boy was in the 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, now 16, was charged with domestic violence and unruly behavior for the incident. Prosecutors noted 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 man who administered the punishment was the grandmother's ex-husband. The UN Committee on the Rights of the Child defines corporal punishment as "any punishment in which physical force is used and intended to cause some degree of pain or discomfort, however light," often involving hitting with a hand or implement and potentially causing physical and mental harm.
Patterson faces a potential sentence of up to 90 days in jail and a maximum fine of $750 for each count. Her sentencing hearing is scheduled for August 25. She remains on unpaid leave from the Middletown Police Department, and her employment status is pending discussions with attorneys and the police union.
