Kissimmee police officer accused of excessive force, 10 others under investigation

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Published  October 29, 2024 7:57pm EDT
FOX 35 Orlando
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Kissimmee police officer accused of excessive force

A Kissimmee police officer is accused of attacking a man inside his home, while other officers allegedly covered it up. Now, the state attorney is raising questions.

KISSIMMEE, Fla. - A Kissimmee police officer is accused of attacking a man inside his home, while other officers allegedly covered it up. Now, the state attorney is raising questions.

Body camera footage led to the resignation of Kissimmee Police Chief Betty Holland, with 10 other officers also under investigation.

State Attorney Andrew Bain said the majority of law enforcement officers aim to do the right thing but emphasized that those who break the law must be held accountable, particularly those responsible for enforcing it.

RELATED: Kissimmee police chief, deputy chief resign over investigation into use-of-force case, 'systemic' issues

The body camera footage shows a struggle between Sean Kastner and his father outside their home. Officers then enter the residence, but the video cuts to black. What happened next inside the home prompted Bain’s office to open a use-of-force investigation in April 2023.

One officer on the scene described the incident, saying, "We went hands on him to arrest him, and he’s sweaty. He has no shirt on. We got him pinned against the couch right there. He kept fighting, so I gave him a couple of knee spikes to the face – good ones – split his face open. He got blood everywhere."

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The officer added that he used a Taser on Kastner, who was later arrested with visible injuries, including blood on his face and something lodged in his back. The incident triggered an internal investigation into honesty within the department.

Officer Andrew Baseggio is among those accused of misconduct. He admitted to asking a fellow officer to commit perjury, according to Bain's office. Baseggio also allegedly entered the home without a warrant and used excessive force, violating department policy and resulting in serious injuries to Kastner.

In a separate finding, the state attorney’s office reported that former Chief Holland’s sworn testimony contradicted other evidence in the case. Bain said, "We have to be able to hold ourselves accountable, especially the ones enforcing the law."

The Kissimmee City Commission issued a statement, pledging to restore trust in the police department and welcoming the new interim chief.

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