Tallahassee Police Officer Charged with Aggravated Assault Receives Not Guilty Verdict
Tallahassee, FL – A Tallahassee police officer facing aggravated assault with a firearm charges was found not guilty.
The incident happened in May 2012 and involved the officers ex girlfriend.
Lyle Ottley was found not guilty of aggravated assault.
Ottley was accused forcing inside his ex girlfriend Erica Brooks’ home in may of 2012. Once inside, Ottley allegedly threatened Brooks and her new boyfriend who was sleeping there at the time.
The verdict came down around 4 pm. the trial featured testimony from Ottley, Brooks, and Herman Samuel, Brooks boyfriend.
Samuel testified that Ottley burst into the bedroom in May screaming at him to “get the expletive out” multiple times.
He also said Ottley reached for and touched his firearm on his hip. Ottley testified that he did yell that at Samuel, but did not touch his firearm.
In the end, the jury sided with the defense.
The state did offer a deal to Ottley before the verdict came down which he declined.
Tallahassee, FL – Lyle Ottley found not guilty.
Tallahassee, FL – Trial is now underway for a Tallahassee Police Officer charged with aggravated assault with a firearm.
Leon County Deputies arrested 32-year-old Lyle Ottley was arrested at his home back in May.
Ottley is accused of forcing his way into his ex-girlfriend’s home and threatening her current boyfriend who was sleeping at the time. The trial is expected to be just one day. Stay tuned to WCTV for updates on the outcome.
Tallahassee, FL – May 29, 2012 – A Tallahassee Police officer arrested for a confrontation at the home of his ex-girlfriend has been the subject of four internal affairs investigations in the last six years.
Records released by TPD today show Lyle Ottley was hired in June 2006. He served as a patrol officer from 2006 until 2009, as part of TPD’s bike squad from 2009 – 2011 and has been a field training officer since 2011.
TPD says Ottley was cleared in three of the four internal investigations.
One of them found him justified in shooting a pit bull that was attacking a fellow officer in 2010.
The fourth case which dates back to 2007 found that Ottley abused his position. He was accused of flashing his badge and trying to get a towing company to release his friend’s car without paying for it.
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Officer Ottley’s employment history. Please see below:
Officer Lyle Ottley DOB: 12/14/79
Date of Hire: 6/27/06
Work Assignments:
2006-2009 Patrol Officer
2009-2011 COPPS (Bike Squad)
2011- Present Field Training Officer
Mr. Ottley has the below Internal Affairs investigations while employed at TPD:
-2006 Allegation of Improper Procedure/ Crime Scene Investigations Exonerated/Case Purged -2007 Allegation of Improper Conduct/Abuse of Position Sustained-Case is attached -
2009 Allegation of Improper Procedure/Excessive Force Exonerated/Case Purged -
2010 Special Investigation- Firearm Discharge- Vicious Animal Justified-Case is attached
Tallahassee, FL – May 27, 2012 – A Tallahassee Police Officer charged with burglary and aggravated assault made his first court appearance Sunday morning.
Most days, 32-year-old Lyle Ottley puts on a uniform as part of his job as an officer with the Tallahassee Police Department. But the uniform Ottley put on Sunday 5-27-12 was a drastically different one.
Dressed in a blue prison jumpsuit, Ottley sat before a judge for the first time. Ottley was arrested at his home Friday night 5-25-12. after Leon County Deputies say he forced his way inside the home of an ex-girlfriend, Erica Brooks, who’s the mother of his child, and threatened her and her current boyfriend, Herman Samuel. He’s charged with burglary and aggravated assault. Charges Ottley’s attorney fought.
“From what I see here, your honor, I don’t see any probable cause for burglary. I don’t see any probably cause for aggravated assault. There may be a trespass here,” says Ian Nesbeth, Ottley’s attorney.
Nesbeth contends his client was never a threat to either Brooks or Samuel.
“The only time it says anything about the weapon being removed, Ottley removed the weapon and put it on the porch to show that he was non-threatening,” says Nesbeth.
The judge ordered Ottley to stay away from both Brooks and Samuel and to not have access to his guns. Ottley is also scheduled to undergo a psych evaluation. He is being held on $40,000 bond.
Ottley is suspended with pay from TPD pending the outcome of the criminal investigation.
Tallahassee, FL — May 26, 2012
Lyle Ottley will make his first appearance before a judge Sunday 5-27-12 morning. Ottley is being held at the Leon County Jail.
Tallahassee, FL — May 25, 2012
TPD says Ottley has been suspended with pay pending the outcome of the criminal investigation. TPD says once LCSO completes its investigation, TPD will conduct its own.
Tallahassee, FL — May 25, 2012
On May 25, 2012, Herman Samuel reported an aggravated assault and armed burglary. Samuel reported that he lives with his girlfriend, Erica Brooks. Around 2:15 AM Brooks ex-boyfriend, Lyle Ottley, entered the home and threatened him with a firearm. Ottley is a police officer for the City of Tallahassee and was wearing his Law Enforcement uniform, complete with duty belt and duty firearm at the time of this incident.
Ottley indicated that he had just gotten off work, prior to coming to Brooks’ home. This home is located in Leon County, outside the geographical jurisdiction of the City of Tallahassee. Ottley was not on an official call for service and was not there in an official capacity. His supervisors were notified and responded to the scene. Ottley was arrested at 6:30 PM May 25, 2012 with charges of Armed Burglary and Aggravated Assault.
