ATLANTA (CBS ATLANTA) -
Atlanta's Civilian Review Board member Paul Bartels wanted to hand down the stiffest punishment possible against an Atlanta Police officer accused of illegally strip searching Olajuwan Wilson.
During a board meeting on Thursday evening, Bartels told board members Wilson was illegally searched and arrested without probable cause.
"What occurred was a sexual assault," Bartels told board members.
Last month, Wilson told CBS Atlanta what happened to him.
"He unbuckles my pants, goes inside my pants, goes up under my genital area and looks for drugs," said Wilson.
Wilson was 17 when Atlanta's now disbanded Red Dog Unit stopped him. He said he was at a convenience store buying juice.
"I felt violated because he went in my private area," said Wilson.
Bartels and one other CRB member wanted the officer fired for his actions.
"What we have here, not just false imprisonment, is a strip search in public without probably cause," said Bartels.
But they were outnumbered. In the end, the board decided 5-days suspension plus additional training would be enough punishment for the officer.
The police department only gave him a written reprimand for his actions.
Wilson's attorney, Mark Bullman, attended the hearing.
"They feel that stopping a minor, searching him without his permission reaching down into his pants required a little bit more than telling him, 'Bad boy,' slapping him on the wrist and sending him back to the department," said Bullman.
Bullman and another attorney are representing Wilson and five other men who have since filed a federal lawsuit against APD accusing officers of illegal searches and false imprisonment.
Bullman said the board's recommendation that the officer receive a harsher punishment further proves their case.
"It's another step to support the allegations that we are making and hopefully make the city and police department recognize this is serious and they need to do something about it," said Bullman.
Because of the pending lawsuit, APD would not comment about the board's recommendation.
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