A detective in Philadelphia is facing jail time after he assaulted and kidnapped a Black musician. According to Philadelphia Inquirer, Detective Adam O’Donnell was escorting Theodore Life Jr. out of Philadelphia Police Department’s Special Victims Unit when the attack occurred.
O’Donnell grabbed Life and kicked him in the knee. The kick injured Life severely and he was unable to put any pressure on his leg. Instead of seeking medical attention for Life, O’Donnell decided to put Life in an unmarked police car without documenting the trip. He eventually dropped him off in the middle of the road at a random location.
Life was unable to walk to get help and had to call his father to find him. Once his father was able to locate him in the Huntington Park area, Life was rushed to the hospital. When Life was examined at Einstein Medical Center, he was treated for a non-displaced fracture. The injury was so severe that Life still walks with a limp weeks after the assault.
O’Donnell is a nine-year veteran of the Special Victims Unit. On Feb. 18, he surrendered himself to authorities and was arrested. O’Donnell was charged with aggravated assault, simple assault, kidnapping, and unlawful restraint. He has been suspended for 30 days with the intent to dismiss.
O’Donnell’s action is another example of why it’s important for police to be held accountable when they abuse and kill citizens. It should never be a situation where pro-Black is viewed as anti-police or anti-White. Instead, protests by Black Lives Matter and performance art by celebrities such as Beyoncé and Kendrick Lamar should shed light on the national issue. The upstanding police and judicial system must make it a point to combat police brutality and other injustices by corrupt officers.
According to his social media page, Life is a Philadelphia-based producer, musician, and songwriter. He has yet to reveal if he plans to file a lawsuit.
