A Hamilton booking-room video that shows Officer Stephen Heffernan slamming a 62-year-old man into a desk and a cinderblock wall has now led to criminal charges. The man was waiting to be processed when the confrontation unfolded, leaving him with a serious head laceration that needed staples. Heffernan has been placed on administrative leave as the criminal case plays out, on top of internal discipline he had already accepted for the September incident.
On Friday, the City of Hamilton said a Butler County grand jury certified four counts of misdemeanor assault against Heffernan to Hamilton Municipal Court, according to WLWT. The city statement confirmed that Heffernan is on administrative leave while the case moves forward. WLWT reports the department released the booking-room footage after the September 2025 arrest.
Video Shows Booking-Room Takedown
Security footage reviewed by reporters shows Heffernan and the 62-year-old man, identified by police as Michael Yordy, in a heated exchange before things escalate, according to FOX19. The video captures Heffernan pushing Yordy into a wall, then slamming him into a concrete booking counter. A police incident summary says Yordy lay motionless for more than a minute and later needed 14 staples to close the head wound. Butler County Prosecutor Mike Gmoser told reporters the grand jury “determined it was assault” and described the conduct as “excessive force.”
Department Review And Discipline
Before the criminal case took shape, the Hamilton Police Department had already investigated the incident internally. Records show Heffernan waived a pre-disciplinary hearing and accepted a disciplinary agreement in October 2025 that imposed a 20-day suspension, a six-month ban on extra-duty assignments and remedial training, according to the Dayton Daily News. Assistant Chief Shawn Fryman concluded Heffernan’s use of force was unnecessary and out of step with department policy, the records state. The department initially charged Yordy with assault but later had that charge dismissed at its own request.
What Comes Next In Court
The misdemeanor case has been certified to Hamilton Municipal Court, where an arraignment date and additional hearings will be set. The city can either handle the prosecution itself or send the file to a special prosecutor, FOX19 reports. Grand-jury certification effectively moves the dispute out of the closed-door personnel process and onto the public court docket. Officials have not yet said whether they will bring in outside counsel to steer clear of potential conflicts of interest.
Why The Video Is Hitting A Nerve In Hamilton
The release of the booking-room footage, combined with the grand jury’s decision to certify charges, has put a fresh spotlight on how the Hamilton Police Department handles people in custody and how transparent it is willing to be, WLWT notes. The municipal court case will offer a public test of whether the department’s internal discipline and the criminal justice system land on the same judgment about Heffernan’s actions. Local residents, defense lawyers and watchdog groups are expected to keep a close eye on the arraignment and whatever motions and filings come after it.
