They're the two figures that have become flash points in the controversy that's dogged the Indianapolis law enforcement community and the mayor's office all summer long.
One is teen Brandon Johnson, beaten by officers in an arrest in May. The other is K-9 Officer David Bisard, who caused the August crash that killed a motorcyclist and severely injured two others.
The difference in the response in those two cases is what prompted a new closed door meeting between Mayor Ballard and a host of African-American clergy.
“The mayor had reached out to the family more in the Eric Wells case and the other victims than he did in the Brandon Johnson case,” said Rev. Charles Harrison/Barnes United Methodist Church. “So for the community they felt a little concerned about that and what message he was sending to the African American community.”
Mayor Greg Ballard responded: “That's one of the things that's really difficult as mayor is how to handle each case differently and appropriately, trying to be compassionate at the same time realizing that I represent the city.”
Ballard has responded to the Bisard case with reforms regarding police and alcohol. He's stood by Public Safety Director Frank Straub and Chief Paul Cielcielski, despite calls for their dismissal, none of which came from the ministers who participated in Friday morning’s discussion.
At the same time downtown, the family and friends of Eric Wells, the victim in the Bisard crash, made their own call to the prosecutor, who dropped the DUI charge on a technicality.
Wells' widow and friends tried to present a petition with more than 5,000 signatures, hoping to persuade Carl Brizzi to press ahead with the DUI case. But after waiting for 40 minutes for an 11am appointment, they left without a meeting.
“We've been out every weekend just about down at Monument Circle,” said Dennis Graham, a friend of Wells. “Putting together the petitions, a number of citizens, motorcyclists have been down there signing it. For a public concern for public safety, and you can't go ahead and show up? This is unprofessional, it's disgusting.”
Meantime the FBI and IMPD's Internal Affairs continue their own investigations. Their findings are still weeks away.
