Portland officers linked to beating won’t be charged Grand jury finds no criminal conduct

PORTLAND – A Cumberland County grand jury has decided not to charge two Portland police officers with assault in the beating of Vincent Dorazio.

The announcement comes barely two months after the city of Portland paid Dorazio a landmark settlement of some $600,000 to avoid a civil trial.

Police Chief Michael Chitwood said that makes the grand jury’s decision somewhat bittersweet for his department.

“A grand jury has said that there was no criminal conduct, but the city paid out $600,000, so that’s an issue,” said Chitwood. “But that’s an issue based on the facts that were known at the time of the settlement.”

Dorazio, 41, of Portland, filed a federal lawsuit in August for more than $1 million against the city and Portland police, saying officers chased him without provocation and then beat him badly.

The incident occurred last Feb. 12. Officer Kevin Haley tried to stop Dorazio as he was walking along India Street. Police say Haley thought Dorazio was wanted on a warrant.

Dorazio ran away. He said he fled because he had been beaten by Portland officers in the past, though he never filed a complaint.

Dorazio ran several blocks before he was caught. He said Officer Stephen Taylor then hit him on the head with his gun.

Dorazio said Haley then grabbed his head and punched him in the face.

At the time, the officers said that when they caught up to Dorazio in a dark alley, he turned on them. Because they could not see his hands, they were worried about their safety and used force to subdue him, Chitwood has said.

Both officers were disciplined but are now back on street patrol. Haley was suspended for a day without pay for punching Dorazio and for failing to file a use of force report.

Taylor was suspended for 10 days for not revealing that he hit Dorazio with his gun, instead of his nightstick as he had earlier claimed.

In addition to the criminal investigation, police opened an internal investigation, which Chitwood says will rely heavily on the testimony the grand jury heard.