monalisa
06-30-2006, 06:35 PM
STILLWATER, Minn. (AP) - A Maplewood police officer was charged with several felonies for allegedly falsely imprisoning a man and threatening to beat him, only to let him go when the man called 911 on his cell phone from the back of a squad car.
Washington County Attorney Doug Johnson said Friday that his office had charged Officer Jason Patrick Marino, 31, with kidnapping, terroristic threats, misconduct and several other counts stemming from the incident on April 28, 2006.
At about 1:30 a.m. that morning, Marino allegedly handcuffed and detained a 21-year-old man in his squad car without arresting him, after the younger man approached Marino and another officer at a SuperAmerica store to ask for a ride to Interstate 94. Once in the car, Marino threatened several times to beat up the 21-year-old, according to the criminal complaint.
Marino then drove out of Maplewood and into neighboring Washington County, but left the man by the side of the road after realizing that he was talking to someone on his cell phone, according to authorities. A Washington County deputy picked the man up a short time later, and reported that he was crying and out of breath with fear.
"The behavior of Marino is something that you see on fictional television shows, but in 33 years of prosecuting I have never seen this type of police behavior actually happen," Johnson said in a press release.
Marino did not have a listed telephone number. A telephone call to Johnson's office seeking the name of Marino's attorney was not immediately returned.
According to the criminal complaint, Marino told Washington County investigators that the 21-year-old asked to be taken to jail. Marino initially intended to oblige, he said, but changed his mind and left the man on the side of the road.
Marino has been on paid administrative leave since the day of the incident, Maplewood Police Chief Dave Thomalla said. He had not been brought into custody and had not yet appeared in court on the charges.
Washington County Attorney Doug Johnson said Friday that his office had charged Officer Jason Patrick Marino, 31, with kidnapping, terroristic threats, misconduct and several other counts stemming from the incident on April 28, 2006.
At about 1:30 a.m. that morning, Marino allegedly handcuffed and detained a 21-year-old man in his squad car without arresting him, after the younger man approached Marino and another officer at a SuperAmerica store to ask for a ride to Interstate 94. Once in the car, Marino threatened several times to beat up the 21-year-old, according to the criminal complaint.
Marino then drove out of Maplewood and into neighboring Washington County, but left the man by the side of the road after realizing that he was talking to someone on his cell phone, according to authorities. A Washington County deputy picked the man up a short time later, and reported that he was crying and out of breath with fear.
"The behavior of Marino is something that you see on fictional television shows, but in 33 years of prosecuting I have never seen this type of police behavior actually happen," Johnson said in a press release.
Marino did not have a listed telephone number. A telephone call to Johnson's office seeking the name of Marino's attorney was not immediately returned.
According to the criminal complaint, Marino told Washington County investigators that the 21-year-old asked to be taken to jail. Marino initially intended to oblige, he said, but changed his mind and left the man on the side of the road.
Marino has been on paid administrative leave since the day of the incident, Maplewood Police Chief Dave Thomalla said. He had not been brought into custody and had not yet appeared in court on the charges.