Indiana police officer accused of excessive force in traffic stop

HAMMOND, Ind. -- A police officer broke a car window and used a stun gun on a man during a traffic stop in Hammond, Ind., as a 14-year-old boy in the backseat recorded the incident.

Lisa Mahone and her boyfriend, Jamal Jones, are filing a federal lawsuit accusing the officers of excessive force, false arrest and battery.

"My first thing that I said to them, 'My kids in the car. My momma's passing. Can we please just make this as quick as possible. Here's our information. Can we go to the hospital?' He threw that out the window," Jones said.

Mahone was pulled over at 3:45 p.m. at 169th Street and Cline Avenue Service Road because she and Jones were not wearing seat belts as required by Indiana law, police said. She produced her driver's license for police. Then, on video, officers are heard demanding identification from Jones, and then seen shattering the passenger side window and using a taser on him when he refused to exit the vehicle.

"They escalated without any basis, without any cause," attorney Dana Kurtz said.

Mahone's two children were in the back seat. The 14-year-old boy, Joseph, recorded the exchange on a cell phone. His 7-year-old sister is heard screaming next to him.

"They were horrified. You hear Janiya, a 7-year old, in the backseat crying. And they were scared. And their perception of officers, who are supposed to be serving and protecting, not only them, but us, everyone, has been tarnished for the rest of their lives," Kurtz.

Kurtz said the children were injured by the broken glass.

The Hammond Police Department said the officer called for backup when Jones became uncooperative by refusing to write down his personal information, show his hands, and exit the car when asked. Police say the officers feared for their lives when Jones' left hand fell behind the center console, which led to his arrest.

On the recording, Mahone is heard talking to a 911 operator, asking for a police supervisor to be sent to the scene.

Mahone was issued a citation for failure to wear a seat belt and a license plate reciprocity violation. Jones was arrested for failure to aid an officer, resisting law enforcement, and was also cited for a seat belt violation.