CLEVELAND: A Cleveland police officer accused of ordering a woman to delete cellphone video of a fight between a bar employee and a customer has been indicted on charges including tampering with evidence.
The Cuyahoga County Prosecutor’s Office says Officer Valerie Thompson was working off-duty security at a Cleveland bar when a bouncer and a customer began to scuffle. Authorities say Thompson ordered a woman who recorded the fight on her cellphone to delete the video and filed a false police report saying the customer punched the bouncer without provocation.
Cleveland.com reports Thompson also was indicted Wednesday on charges including tampering with records and dereliction of duty.
The now-suspended officer pleaded not guilty at an initial arraignment Monday. A message left at her attorney’s office Thursday wasn’t immediately returned.