San Francisco deputy choked sleeping hospital patient, arrested victim for instigating: cops
Michael R. Lewelling claimed he arrested a man while he was patrolling San Francisco General Hospital in November because the suspect hit him with his cane. But hospital video showed the 33-year-old deputy wake the sleeping victim and then assault him when he tried to walk away from the confrontation. The officer was arrested for perjury, filing a false police report and battery.
BY MEG WAGNER
NEW YORK DAILY NEWS
Published: Saturday, December 20, 2014, 1:55 PM
Updated: Saturday, December 20, 2014, 3:21 PM
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JUSTIN SULLIVAN/GETTY IMAGESA San Francisco sheriff’s deputy choked a patient inside General Hospital, and wrote a fake police report to say the victim was the instigator, police said.
A San Francisco sheriff’s deputy choked a patient napping in a hospital waiting room, and then faked a report to say the man attacked him, police said.
San Francisco County Deputy Michael R. Lewelling was arrested Friday for the November incident. The 33-year-old officer was charged with four felonies, including perjury and filing a false police report, and misdemeanor battery.
On Nov. 3, Lewelling filed a police report claiming a man in San Francisco General’s waiting room hit him with a wooden cane while he was patrolling the hospital. Records showed he arrested the man.
But video from inside the emergency room waiting room showed the victim never raised his cane, officials said.
The tapes showed the man sleeping while waiting for a doctor’s appointment.
Lewelling woke him up, and when the victim tried to walk away, the deputy grabbed his shirt’s collar, threw him back in the chair and knocked his cane away, the video showed.
FACEBOOKSan Francisco deputy Michael R. Lewelling was charged with perjury and filing a false police report.