Three officers recommended for termination, demotion following botched raid

NASHVILLE, TN (WSMV) - A five-year veteran of the Metro Police Department is being recommended for termination following a botched raid at the home of an innocent family, News4 Investigates has learned.

Two other officers are also being recommended for demotion in the wake of a News4 Investigation that revealed how metro police used old, outdated information from MHDA before they conducted the raid.

Metro Police raid wrong house with three-year-old inside

 

Azaria Hines had finished her late shift at the local Mapco, curling up on her downstairs couch asleep when the banging outside began.

 

 

The raid resulted in Azaria Hines, her then 15-year-old niece and three old-nephew, being woken out of their sleep on August 19, 2020 by Metro Police serving the search warrant.

Using a battering ram, the officers led Hines outside, who was not dressed, and a gun was pointed on the children as they came down the stairs.

A News4 Investigation uncovered that the suspect the officers were looking for had moved out six months prior, and that Metro Police were using outdated residence information from MDHA.

Metro police confirmed to News4 Investigates that officer Michael Richardson has been recommended to be dismissed, and Lt. Harrison Dooley and Sgt. Jeff Brown have been recommended to be demoted to the rank of officer.

In a statement to News4 Investigates, a metro police spokesman wrote, “Commander David Corman received formal counseling for faulty decision making/poor judgment in selecting Richardson for the Directed Patrol Unit. Richardson had no prior experience in drafting, planning or executing a residential search warrant and was lacking in knowledge concerning surveillance.”

Spokesman Don Aaron also wrote that all three have requested disciplinary hearings to challenge the punishment.