‘Finish yourself off.’ Illinois cops accused of taunting a man as he choked himself

Charlene Johnson and her 44-year-old son were at the home where they both live when three officers were called because of a noise complaint and domestic situation last year, WSPY reported.

Tad Johnson was arguing outside with his mom and throwing trash in the street, Kendall County Now reported.

But when officers arrived, the mom and her son went inside, locked the door and did not open it for police, WGN9 reported.

While the Yorkville, Illinois, officers were responding, a police dashcam video picked up the audio from the incident, the Beacon-News reported.

The edited audio obtained by the newspaper starts with an officer saying the man’s mom has gone inside and that they locked the door. As a man is cursing at the police, an officer tells him to “pick up the garbage” or he will be cited for littering.

The man continues to curse and tell police he will not be opening the door in the audio tape. An officer is then heard telling the man to “come on out and make me move.”

Officer Jeffrey Johnson then challenged the man to “bring it,” the Beacon-News reported.

“Hey, you still live with mom,” Johnson said, according to audio obtained by the Beacon-News. “Bring it. Bring it. Bring it. Bring it.”

Then Tad Johnson grabbed his own throat, WGN9 reported.

Johnson responded with, “Go ahead, please, finish yourself off,” according to the Beacon-News.

An officer is heard explaining that the man is trying to strangle himself and that he wants to fight. In the audio obtained by the newspaper, the officer says the man will for sure be cited for littering and he will be “getting tased immediately — just FYI.”

Charlene Johnson was also heard saying her son has “severe” post-traumatic stress disorder and wanted to take him to a doctor, Kendall County Now reported. “I’ll take him,” Jeffrey Johnson said, according to Kendall County Now. The officer also reportedly said he had dealt with Tad Johnson a few weeks before and he is “out of his mind.”

The incident ended when officers tased Tad Johsnon and then attempted force entry into their home, WSPY reported. Tad Johnson was arrested on suspicion of disorderly conduct and resisting a peace officer, and Charlene Johnson was arrested for resisting a peace officer, WSPY reported.

The three officers on the scene of the incident were Sgt. Sarah Klingel, Officer Jeffrey Johnson and Officer Christopher Hayes, according to WSPY.

Now, about nine months later, all three officers have been disciplined, the Kane County Chronicle reported earlier this month.

Yorkville Police Chief Rich Hart told the newspaper on Aug. 2 that the department’s internal investigation was closed that same day.

“After the investigation was completed, Sgt. Klingel’s employment was terminated, and Officer Johnson received the largest (unpaid) suspension allowable by state law,” Hart said, according to the Chronicle. “(Johnson) has since gone to retraining and has come back to work. There was some discipline involved with (Hayes) as well.”

Hayes received a written warning, WGN 9 reported.

Hart said this incident is “textbook example” of how officers should not de-escalate what could have become a dangerous situation, according to WGN9.

“What is on the video tape does not meet up with the mission or the values of the Yorkville Police Department and that type of behavior from officers is completely unacceptable,” Hart told the Beacon-News.