Jeffersonville Police officers investigated for bar brawl

Jeffersonville, IN (WAVE) - A fight at a bar has two Jeffersonville Police officers under investigation. Jeffersonville Mayor Mike Moore and the city's Police Chief Chris Grimm Friday sent a letter to the Indiana State Police asking for an investigation.

The two officers, who were off duty at the time, are accused of beating up a man inside the Lighthouse Restaurant and Lounge. The alleged victim talked to WAVE 3 News. He says it all started because he tripped and spilled a drink on the men.

"Everybody was just watching in shock," the alleged victim explained.

It all went down the night after Thanksgiving inside the well known Jeffersonville pub. The man who asked us not to identify him for fear of retaliation says he and two buddies were hanging out at the lounge when he accidentally had a run in with the two off-duty police officers.

"I guess I bumped into their table and spilled their drinks," he said, "He got up and got in my face and the next thing you know, he throws me to the ground and he's holding me down and I look up and some dude is just pounding me in my face!"

The man says he exchanged words with the officers after they yelled at him for bumping the table, but he claims he had no idea they would get so upset.

"I was like, what's going on, this is crazy," he said.

How bad were his injuries? "I had a black eye, a busted lip and my arm still hurts today," he said.

A woman inside the bar said the man who was beaten is a regular customer who doesn't cause problems. She said some employees were surprised that the two men beating the man were off-duty officers. She says they were also surprised after calling 911, Jeffersonville Police arrived and it seemed it was all over.

The alleged victim tells us, he was never interviewed about the attack by police but says he is now relieved the police chief and the mayor have asked Indiana State Police to investigate.

"It means a lot," the man said of the call for an investigation, "Something needs to be done to these cops."

What does he think should happen to the officers? "I think justice should be served, " he said, "some cops think that they're bad because they've got the badge and they can do whatever they want and it's not right."

This is only one side of the story. WAVE 3 News wanted to get the officers' side. But a representative for the city tells us, because the case is under investigation the officers cannot comment at this time.

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