Greenfield Man Punched Officer During Altercation in Home, Police Say

Updated 10:30 a.m. March 20

One of two police officers responding to a call about a man acting strangely early March 15, wound up taking a punch to the face while trying to keep the man from his girlfriend, police say.

Lawrence Mann, a 27-year-old Greenfield man who lives in the 4600 block of 111th St., was charged in Milwaukee County Circuit Court on Saturday with felony battery to a law enforcement officer.

Officers were called to the home just before 2 a.m. by Mann’s girlfriend, who told police Mann was not acting like himself, according to the Greenfield Police Department report. The girlfriend told police Mann was attempting to mop the floor with clothing in the late night hours. She said Mann was unable to hold a conversation and kept “switching personalities.”

When police arrived, those odd behaviors continued. Eventually, while police tried to keep Mann from approaching his girlfriend, Mann punched an officer in the face.

Mann, according to the report, continued to lunge and swing at the officer when another officer tried to control him from behind. The officer who got punched then took out his electronic control device, or Taser, and tased Mann.

Officers continued to attempt to subdue Mann and tried to tase him twice more in order to stop him from resisting.

Those attempts proved ineffective, however. When Mann’s girlfriend took off running through the house, Mann escaped the officers’ grasp and chased after her. She however, closed and locked a bedroom door behind her. The officers caught Mann again, pinned him against the wall and finally handcuffed him.

Mann continued to be resistive, however, and repeatedly stated he needed water and was sweating profusely. He was transported to the hospital where he remained for hours until being medically cleared.

In addition to the felony charge, charges of resisting an officer and domestic violence – disorderly conduct were also read in.

Mann’s next court date is March 26.

Editor's note: The story has been changed to accurately reflect the number of times the police officer's Taser was deployed.