Former Brooklyn police sergeant Paul Stein is now fighting a criminal charge in Parma Municipal Court after bodycam footage surfaced that appears to show him punching a woman who was already restrained at the Brooklyn police station. The video has put the small Cleveland suburb’s police department under a harsh spotlight and has sparked talk of an upcoming civil lawsuit.
Hearing in Parma
Stein appeared in Parma Municipal Court on Thursday to answer a misdemeanor assault charge tied to the bodycam footage, according to Cleveland 19. The station reports the charge followed an independent review of body camera recordings and that Stein has pleaded not guilty. The case remains in the pretrial phase and will continue to move through Parma Municipal Court.
Bodycam Shows Clash Inside the Station
Video obtained by 19 Investigates appears to show Stein standing on the woman’s stocking feet while she was handcuffed and strapped into a restraint chair, then slapping and punching her after she spat in his face, WOIO reported. In the footage, the woman can be heard repeatedly pleading, “You’re hurting me. Get off my feet,” as the confrontation escalates.
The department’s internal inquiry later described Stein’s blows as “excessive and egregious.” According to the station, Stein was fired in September following that internal investigation.
Attorney Readies Civil Lawsuit
The woman has hired civil-rights attorney Keith Hansbrough, who has publicly criticized how the department handled the incident and has said he plans to file a lawsuit on her behalf. Hansbrough Law lists police-misconduct and civil-rights litigation among its practice areas. Any civil case is expected to proceed on a separate track from the pending criminal matter against Stein.
Discipline, Outside Oversight and What Comes Next
Stein’s termination came after the department’s internal review of the incident, while prosecutors moved ahead with criminal charges following an independent review of the bodycam footage. Local reporting identifies Brian D. Kraft as the outside prosecutor assigned to the case; Kraft’s background is outlined on his law office site. Formal proceedings are set in Parma Municipal Court, the local court of record that handles cases from Brooklyn and nearby suburbs.
Why This Is Hitting a Nerve Locally
Video of force used against someone who is already restrained tends to land hard in any community, and Brooklyn is no exception. The footage has sparked questions from residents and advocates about how officers are trained, when restraint chairs are used and how closely such encounters are supervised.
The coming weeks will show whether the criminal case against Stein, along with an expected civil lawsuit, leads to policy changes inside the Brooklyn Police Department or remains a single, high-profile flashpoint in the city’s ongoing conversation about police accountability.
