IMPD officer accused of choking his girlfriend

Court documents reveal more details about the recent arrest and suspension of an officer with the Indianapolis Metropolitan Police Department.

Johnn Scott, 44, was arrested Aug. 26 after a fight between him and his live-in girlfriend. He faces charges of strangulation, domestic battery and battery resulting in bodily injury, and has been suspended pending an investigation.

The investigation began when officers were called to a home in the 6100 block of South Franklin Road shortly before 4 a.m. Wednesday on a report of a domestic disturbance involving a police officer. When investigators approached Scott’s girlfriend, they could see visible injuries on her neck, court documents note.

During their fight, the girlfriend threw items at Scott, who charged and grabbed her by the neck, according to court documents. She said Scott threw her up and down on the bed with his hands around her throat.

When Scott let go of her, the girlfriend threw another item at Scott, who started choking her again, court documents note.

The girlfriend later told police that Scott had strangled her once before. She said it happened about a year ago, and that afterward, Scott promised that he would never do it again.

Scott told police that he never struck his girlfriend and that he didn’t know anything about any injuries to her neck. He told police his girlfriend assaulted him, so he defended himself by putting his arms up and pushing his girlfriend onto the bed. Scott then left the room and went downstairs, he told police.

Attempts to reach Scott for comment have been unsuccessful.

The suspension isn't the first for Scott, who has worked for IMPD and the Marion County Sheriff’s Department for 14 years.

In November 2003, Scott, then a sheriff's deputy, was charged with criminal trespass after he was caught on videotape apparently breaking into a Northeastside movie theater office, according to online court records.

He was found not guilty in a bench trial in July 2004, according to online court records, but not before local officials sought to remove him from the department.

A black-and-white video showed a man identified as Scott walking into a glass-enclosed manager's kiosk in the dark with a flashlight, looking around, then breaking into a locked office.

Officials said Scott told them he went into the building through an unlocked door after seeing it open. He was in the building for about six minutes, then left once an alarm had been tripped.

Frank Anderson, who was sheriff at the time, told The Star in 2003 that he wanted to fire Scott. Scott was suspended with pay and had to surrender his weapon, badge and patrol car.

Then-Marion County Prosecutor Carl Brizzi said at the time that the misdemeanor criminal trespass offense was punishable by a year in jail.

"The tape really does speak for itself," Brizzi said. "The tape is incriminating."

Scott defended his actions when investigators questioned him. He told his bosses that during a patrol, he saw an exterior door that was open and decided to investigate, according to arrest paperwork.

Prior to the criminal trespass charge, Scott was suspended for one day in June 2003 for keeping an unprofessional-looking squad car and for not turning in reports in a timely fashion, The Star reported in November 2003.

Star reporter Michael Anthony Adams contributed to this article. Call Star reporter Justin L. Mack at (317) 444-6138. Follow him on Twitter:@justinlmack.