St. Paul cop smashed man's head into wall in holding cell

A St. Paul police officer was charged with felony assault today for allegedly smashing a man's head into the wall of a holding cell after other officers stopped the man in a car with his stepdaughter.

The third-degree assault charge against Scott Wendell, 45, was filed in Ramsey County District Court. Wendell was off-duty at the time of the alleged assault that caused "substantial bodily harm," requiring 12 stitches to a 4-inch cut on the man's head, the criminal complaint said.

Wendell was placed on paid administrative leave from the police department today.

The complaint gives the following information:

On Nov. 2, St. Paul officers stopped a vehicle for suspicious activity. An adult man identified as L.P. didn't have a valid license and had a warrant for his arrest, and was arrested. One of the passengers, a juvenile female identified as S.P., is Wendell's stepdaughter.

One of the officers on the scene called Wendell, of Columbus, and told him S.P. was in a vehicle with L.P. Wendell requested officers take his stepdaughter to the police station and said he would pick her up there, and officers did as he requested.

At the police station, S.P. was put in a cell intended for juveniles under arrest and L.P. was put in a cell intended for adults under arrest.

L.P. asked St. Paul police Officer Matthew Onnen to adjust his handcuffs, which the officer did, and then closed the cell's door.

Onnen reported that he noticed Wendell enter the area as he was leaving the cell, and saw Wendell push L.P. against the back wall of the cell.

"I didn't know what was going, what was about to happen," Onnen stated, according to the complaint. "I didn't know what was happening. I, I had, I just thought to myself it's just if I just, I didn't want to be part of this."

The complaint continued, "Officer Onnen walked away from the cell but returned a short time later to find L.P. lying in a pool of blood on the floor of the cell."

Wendell "walked past and stated in a 'matter of fact' manner something to the effect of 'I busted him up or his heads (sic) busted open," the complaint said.

As Onnen was leaving the area, Wendell said, "Don't lose your job over me," Onnen reported, the complaint said. "When questioned, Onnen reported that he did not know what Defendant meant because he (Onnen) didn't see what happened in the cell."

L.P. reported that shortly after Onnen shut the door to his cell, Wendell entered the cell. He grabbed him by the head and smashed his head into the cell's wall, the complaint said.

"L.P. reported that he remembered nothing else until he woke in Regions Hospital where he was treated for a 4-inch laceration to the top/back of his head requiring 12 staples," the complaint said. "The treating physician stated that the injury caused temporary but substantial impairment."

Officer Kimberly Kunde, the officer who arrested L.P. along with Onnen, was in a room adjacent to the cell area when Wendell entered from a garage where officers park their squad cars when on official business. Wendell "asked Officer Kunde something to the effect of wanting to talk to L.P." and then walked to the cell where he was being held, the complaint said.

"Officer Kunde heard Defendant yell something about staying away from Defendant's daughter or not going near his daughter or family," the complaint said. "She heard L.P. yelling simultaneously."

Kunde rode with L.P. to Regions and she reported that L.P. "repeatedly stated, 'Why did Scott Wendell assault me?'," the complaint said. L.P. reported he didn't remember making the statement or anything else until he woke up in the hospital.

Wendell is summoned to appear in court May 21. If convicted, the maximum sentence is five years in prison and a $10,000 fine.

While Wendell was under investigation, he was placed on administrative desk duty at the police department. He has been a St. Paul officer since 1999 and has no record of departmental disciplinary action, a police spokesman has said.

The case was referred to the Hennepin County attorney's office to avoid a conflict of interest.

Wendell is on unsupervised probation in Anoka County for a misdemeanor domestic assault case. He pleaded not guilty to the domestic assault charge filed in April 2008.

It was continued for dismissal last July 14 with conditions that he not commit assault, abusive behavior, terroristic threats, disorderly conduct or other offenses, according to the court register of actions. His probation ends July 14.

<...> the alleged assault that caused "substantial bodily harm," requiring 12 stitches to a 4-inch cut on the man's head, the criminal complaint said. <...>

The treating physician stated that the injury caused temporary but substantial impairment.

I think that is what you are after.

I am not sure if there is a legal difference between great bodily harm and substantial bodily harm.

Wendell is on unsupervised probation in Anoka County for a misdemeanor domestic assault case. He pleaded not guilty to the domestic assault charge filed in April 2008.

How is a man who was convicted of domestic assault working as a police officer? Is he not forbidden to possess a firearm?

How is a man who was convicted of domestic assault working as a police officer? Is he not forbidden to possess a firearm?

If he is on probation, as the article states, then there was a conviction. Even a misdemeanor domestic abuse conviction and the adult toys that go "bang" are out the door. That means he could not be on the force.

How is a man who was convicted of domestic assault working as a police officer? Is he not forbidden to possess a firearm?