Cleon Hodge, 21, may face criminal charges after accidentally bumping into an on-duty plainclothes Cambridge, Massachusetts cop in October. The Boston Globe reports that Hodge and police sergeant Thomas Ahern collided while walking down the street before Ahern grabbed Hodge by the sweatshirt, pushed him, and yanked him around in an effort to search him while onlookers filmed the incident.
Hodge told the Boston Globe he remembers saying, "You gotta say 'excuse me' if you’re going to try some cute [stuff] like that," to Ahearn after colliding with him. But both men seemed to think the other was at fault, according to the Boston Globe. Of course, these kinds of collisions happen often in busy cities, but what doesn't typically happen is that one of the people involved is a cop who becomes angry enough to grab the other person and then later try to press charges against him.
But that's exactly what happened with Hodge and Ahern, and police are reportedly now looking into pressing charges against Hodge, a black man, by arguing that the initial shoulder bump should be considered assault and battery against Ahern, who is white. Additionally, two women who filmed the encounter between Hodge and Ahearn may also face charges.
The Boston Globe reports that the women could be charged with interfering with a police officer. One could also be charged with assault and battery. Hodge was previously charged with assault and battery against a police officer for allegedly shoving a cop after he was told not to skateboard near a construction zone, but the Boston Globe reports the charges were dropped after Hodge wrote an apology letter and committed to several hours of community service.
