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The murder of a child is one of the most heinous crimes that a police officer has to encounter. Passions are inflamed and things can get out of hand as you are locked in the room with an accused child killer. In August of 2013, former Milwaukee Detective Rodolfo Gomez encountered just such a scenario with Deron Love.
Love was arrested and charged with first-degree reckless homicide and child neglect in the death of his 7-month-old son. According to court testimony the child died due to rapid acceleration and shaking, which caused blunt force trauma to the head and traumatic brain injury. However, Love maintained his innocence was found not guilty in September of 2014.
The saga of this unfortunate incident did not end, however, as video emerged of Gomez abusing Love during interrogation. The video shows Love handcuffed to a wall in an interrogation room as Gomez begins to question him about the situation. Love is visibly upset and crying as Gomez begins to viciously beat him while he is handcuffed. Love is heard on the tape crying and pleading for Gomez to stop but the violence continues as two other detectives enter the room. Gomez is even seen gouging Love’s eye with his thumb. All of this led to misconduct charges being lodged against Gomez and eventually led to his dismissal from his job.
Despite the video evidence, Gomez was acquitted this month of felony charges of misconduct in public office and abuse of a prisoner. A jury of eight women and four men deliberated more than six hours before returning two not guilty verdicts. The jury believed that in spite of Love being handcuffed to a wall, that Gomez was justified in fearing for his safety. Love has filed a civil lawsuit against Gomez.
