Probe launched over use of force by judicial bailiff

Kim Smith

Friday, May 3, 2002 | 9:51 a.m.

An investigation has been launched against a judicial bailiff accused of using excessive force Thursday against the 19-year-old son of a man who died while police were taking him into custody in February, officials said.

Assistant Court Administrator Rick Loop said he is in the process of acquiring witness statements following a Thursday morning incident involving bailiff Thomas Knickmeyer outside the courtrooms of District Judges Jack Lehman and Donald Mosley.

Once all of the statements have been gathered from the witnesses and involved parties, a determination will be made as to what, if any, disciplinary action should be taken against Knickmeyer.

Jeffrey Becker, 19, was cited for criminal contempt of court by District Judge Donald Mosley. Mosley let him go without a fine or jail time because of his connection to Craig Becker.

Loop declined to comment further, but four attorneys who witnessed the event said the event began when Knickmeyer came out of Mosley's courtroom to ask those gathered in the packed hallway to quiet down.

All of the attorneys requested anonymity for fear of reprisals.

The attorneys said the hallway was filled with defendants and family members waiting to be called into several courtrooms. However, several other people were gathered for a coroner's inquest being held in the death of Craig Becker.

"Tom stepped out of the courtroom and when he approached the kid he said in a loud nasty voice something like 'Zip your lips,' " said one attorney. "When the kid said something back, Tom said 'You're going to jail' and he tried to put the handcuffs on him."

Another attorney said Knickmeyer tried to take the man, Jeffrey Becker, into custody when he got mouthy after Knickmeyer asked for his identification.

There are allegations that Knickmeyer shoved Becker's head into a wall or courtroom door. Knickmeyer denied the allegations and said he would have acted more "compassionately" had he known who Becker was.

Knickmeyer said he asked Becker to be quiet because he was loudly cursing at a woman outside of his courtroom.

"I said you need to be quiet and he said he didn't have to in a real defiant tone," Knickmeyer said. "He was visibly agitated and so I asked him for ID. He said he didn't have any."

Because Becker adopted an aggressive stance with fists clenched, Knickmeyer said he decided to handcuff him for "officer safety."

Knickmeyer said he had difficulty getting the handcuffs on because of Becker's suit and the more he struggled to get them on, the more Becker fought.

The bailiff said he pushed Becker up against the wall, but denied shoving his head into the wall or a courtroom door.

"He was banging his own head against the wall and that was another reason I ended up taking him to the floor -- to prevent him from hurting himself," Knickmeyer said.

Knickmeyer said the only person hurt in the incident was himself. His hand was cut while securing the handcuffs, requiring a bandage.

"If he had just calmed down, I wouldn't have even cuffed him," Knickmeyer said.

Knickmeyer said had he known Becker was in the courthouse to testify at his father's inquest, he would have acted more "compassionately."

"Once he took that defensive posture with his hands curled up, I had no choice" but to take him into custody, Knickmeyer said.

Later in the morning, Becker was cited for criminal contempt of court by Mosley, who then waived any fines and jail time because of his association Craig Becker.

Knickmeyer said Jeffrey Becker apologized for his actions after the hearing and offered him his hand to shake. The bailiff said he apologized too and expressed condolences for his father's death.

The attorneys who saw the confrontation had differing versions of events, with one saying Knickmeyer was "totally out of control" and others saying Becker was at fault.

One attorney said Knickmeyer politely asked for people to quiet down, but Jeffrey Becker was defiant.

"He got a little mouthy and Tom got in his face and it escalated from there," the attorney said. "I just think both of them went overboard."