However, Sgt. Naomi Penrod might not return to the department for weeks. She has decided to take personal leave that could last as many as eight weeks, according to Yellow Springs Police Chief David Hale.
Penrod was charged with assault, interfering with civil rights, and disorderly conduct for taking a camera from village resident, Athena Fannin, who was filming police activity outside her home on Nov. 5. A Yellow Springs Police Department internal investigation found Penrod had violated some policies.
Penrod was charged in January and had been on administrative leave since January 26.
“It was an unfortunate event. We wish it hadn’t occurred,” Hale said.
UPDATE @ 6:22 p.m. July 16:
Yellow Springs police Sgt. Naomi Penrod was found not guilty on all charges.
The Greene County jury deliberated for just more than an hour in the case against the police officer, who was accused of assault, interfering with civil rights and disorderly conduct for taking a camera from a village resident.
UPDATE @ 5 p.m. July 16: The jury began deliberations a few minutes before 5 p.m. in the trial of Yellow Springs police Sgt. Naomi Penrod, who is accused of assault, interfering with civil rights and disorderly conduct for allegedly taking a camera from a village resident.
UPDATE @ 1:30 p.m. July 16: The defense called two witnesses to the stand including Penrod who testified for almost an hour. The other witness was ACE Taskforce director Bruce May.
The defense does not plan to call additional witnesses to the stand.
The prosecution called one witness to the stand this morning — Detective Darlene Buxton with the Clark County sheriffs office.
Closing arguments will start this afternoon.
UPDATE @ 9 a.m. July 16: Today is the final day of the trial for Sgt. Naomi Penrod. We'll follow the proceedings and update the story here.
UPDATE @ 1:30 p.m. July 15 The trial for Xenia police Sgt. Naomi Penrod has been moved to Greene County Common Pleas Court.
Penrod’s case was scheduled to begin this morning in Xenia Municipal Court.
EARLIER
A three-day jury trial for a Yellow Springs police officer accused of assaulting and taking a camera from a resident is scheduled to start today in Xenia Municipal Court.
Sgt. Naomia Penrod was charged with assault, interfering with civil rights and disorderly conduct after she allegedly took a camera from Athena Fannin who was filming police activity outside her home on Nov. 5.
The Yellow Springs Village Police Department conducted an internal investigation and determined Penrod violated the some of department’s policies. After the internal investigation, the village requested the Clark County Sheriff’s Office conduct an independent criminal investigation.
The misdemeanor charges were filed in January after the sheriff’s office investigation concluded.
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