ATLANTA,None — The International Brotherhood of Police Officers Union told Channel 2 Action News that new evidence regarding a questionable strip search during a traffic stop vindicates the Atlanta Police Department's Red Dog officers involved in the controversial case.
Channel 2 investigative reporter Mark Winne has obtained the GBI polygraph test results of three officers accused of conducting an improper strip search of two college students.
Shawn Venegas spoke exclusively to Channel 2 in January about a Red Dog traffic stop that left him feeling molested. Venegas said he and his friend, Brian Kidd, were pulled over and searched for drugs in the middle of the street in June of 2010. Venegas told Channel 2 Action News reporter Eric Philips the officers not only searched their private parts, but also that one of the officers did a body cavity search on him. Records indicate the officers found no drugs.
An APD investigation into the incident ensued, and Police Chief Georgia Turner disbanded the elite Red Dog unit one week after Channel 2 broke the story.
The GBI Polygraph Services Unit report shows results of Cayenne Mayes, Travis Britt, and Dion Meredith. The union confirmed these are the officers accused of being involved in the controversial case.
IBPO official Kliff Grimes said, "I commend the Atlanta Police Department for going to the top investigative agency in the state."
The report said it's the polygraphist's opinion that physiological responses that are usually indicative of deception were not noted on relevant questions.
Grimes told Winne, "They didn't do anything wrong."
Our analysis of the report indicates both Mayes and Britt denied seeing Meredith conduct a cavity search on Venegas. It also shows Mayes and Britt denied touching the passenger's private area inside his pants.
The report indicates Meredith denied telling the driver to pull his pants down and denied touching any passenger's private area on the inside of his pants.
"It means that all three are innocent," said Grimes.
Attorney Mark Bullman represents Venegas and Kidd in their case against the APD Red Dog officers, and he told Winne these new results will not prompt his two clients to drop their complaint.
Bullman maintains the officers are lying.
Grimes told Winne the results are reliable. "I think it's the most reliable we can get," he said.
Bullman questioned the validity of the polygraph results. "I used to be a police officer," he said. "It's considered to be voodoo science. If you can control yourself and you're a professional liar, you can almost always pass a polygraph examination."
Grimes said all three officers are still on desk duty.
Bullman told Winne the investigation is taking too long to be fair to either side.
WSBTV
