Delaware State Trooper Dempsey Walters indicted for punching teen following ding dong ditch prank

A Delaware State Trooper accused of beating two teenagers in a “violent rampage” while arresting them after he was the “victim” of a ding dong ditch prank was indicted Monday.

Dempsey Walters, a Corporal assigned to Troop 6 in Wilmington, faces felony deprivation of civil rights and felony assault in addition to four misdemeanor charges as he was caught on body camera physically confronting two minors, including punching one in the face while they sat in a squad car.

State Attorney General Kathy Jennings condemned Walter’s “own form of personal justice” and vowed the trooper would face punishment.

“Over the course of the evening, the Defendant chose to extract his own form of personal justice by embarking on a violent rampage, assaulting two defenseless minors, and attempting to conceal his misconduct,” Jennings said in a press release. “He will now face criminal consequences for his actions.”

Walters’, 29, downward spiral began on Aug. 17 when he was off duty and heading back home when he came across a 17-year-old male.

The two got into a verbal argument, and Walters called the Elsmere Police Department. Officers showed up and brought the boy back to his home, handing him over to his mother.

The next day when he was on duty, Walters used the Delaware Criminal Justice Information System (DELJIS) database to look up the male and found his address in New Castle.

While Walters was working on Aug. 21, four juveniles walked past his house and one of them, a 15-year-old boy named Jayden, covered his face and ran up to the front door and kicked it once.

Walters’ girlfriend gave him the description of the ding dong ditcher while he drove back to his neighborhood and was alerted of “several juveniles” running down the street near the boy’s house, where he met two New Castle police officers.

The three went up to the house and were met by the original boy and a friend.

Walters forcibly pulled the 17-year-old out of the house while one of the officers handcuffed the other unarmed male before placing the two teens into patrol cars, bodycam footage shows.

The disgruntled trooper raced out of his car and towards the flailing teen who was on the ground being detained by another trooper, Walter’s body camera showed.

“Almost immediately upon arriving, Walters dropped his knee onto the back of Victim Two’s neck/head, causing injury and causing Victim Two to scream in distress,” the release stated.

“I don’t have anything, mommy, mommy, mommy!” the boy screamed.

As the teen was placed in the back of a police vehicle, Walters turned off his body camera before he turned around and headed back to the other car where he punched the defenseless teen in the face.

Relatives and a lawyer for Jayden revealed the teen suffered a fractured right orbital socket, along with a concussion and bruises to his chest, shoulder, and the back of his neck, according to 6ABC.

Walters was suspended without pay following the physical confrontation.

Following the month-long investigation, Walters was indicted with Felony Deprivation of Civil Rights, Felony Assault in the Second Degree Assualt along with two Misdemeanor Assaults in the Third Degree and two Official Misconducts, also misdemeanors, according to the unsealed indictment viewed by The Post.

“Delaware State Troopers are sworn to uphold the highest standards of justice and integrity,” Delaware State Police Superintendent, Colonel Melissa A. Zebley said. “At the Delaware State Police (DSP), we take this responsibility seriously, not only through our policies for handling and investigating all complaints of misconduct, but through our extensive training.”

Walters was charged with Deprivation of Civil Rights after “depriving Victim Two (Jayden) of his constitutional rights under color of law and causing serious physical injury.”

It is the first time the state used the Deprivation of Civil Rights, a new law made following George Floyd’s murder by Minneapolis Police Officer Derek Chauvin, according to Delawareonline.