Philly Cop Charged With Assault, Kidnapping Turns Himself In

PHILADELPHIA, PA – A Philadelphia police detective turned himself into authorities Wednesday after being charged with aggravated assault and kidnapping, Philadelphia District Attorney R. Seth Williams announced.

Detective Adam O’Donnell, 44, was escorting Theodore Life Jr., 45, out of the Philadelphia Police Department’s Special Victims Unit on Feb. 3 when the incident took place, authorities said.

O’Donnell, who is a 10-year veteran of the Philadelphia police force, allegedly kicked Life in the knee, sending him to the ground in pain and rendering him unable to stand, the DA said. The incident resulted in a fractured femur.

The incident occurred where security cameras could capture the footage, according to the DA.

O’Donnell then put Life in an unmarked police car, drove him into the Hunting Park section of the city, and dropped him off on a street corner.

“A senseless attack on one Philadelphian is an attack on all Philadelphians,” Williams said in a statement. “I also hope that by charging Mr. O’Donnell he not only understands the severity of his crime but is reminded that when law enforcement does something to clearly hurt a complainant it will not be tolerated and will be prosecuted to the fullest extent of the law.”

Life was unable to walk due to the injury, and had to call his father to pick him up to take him to Albert Einstein Medical Center and Abington Memorial Hospital, the DA said, for a for a non-displaced femur fracture.

The circumstances surrounding why Life was at the police department in the first place are unclear.

Image courtesy Philadelphia Police Department.