BROOKLYN, Ohio (WOIO) — A Parma woman who was punched repeatedly in the face by a Brooklyn police officer is breaking her silence.
She’s also planning to sue the former officer who struck her — and police department he worked for.
19 Investigates previously reported a similar incident in which a Maple Heights man alleged the same officer also assaulted him last April.
The woman — who asked to have her identity concealed — watched those 19 News reports and agreed to speak with the reporter.
She says she was assaulted last September by former Brooklyn Police Sergeant Paul Stein.
It happened while she was restrained in a chair at the police station.
“It was hard to believe that that was actually me,” the woman said.
Bodycam footage shows assault
Exclusive bodycam footage obtained by 19 Investigates shows what happened leading up to the incident.
On September 4, 2025, Brooklyn police arrested the woman on an outstanding warrant for aggravated menacing.
At the time, they said she was drunk and belligerent.
When she arrived at the station, she was immediately surrounded by seven officers — they strapped her ankles to a restraint chair while her hands were cuffed behind her back.
Stein stood directly over her, using his hands to pin back both of her shoulders.
“The police officer strapped me to a chair and held me down, while one large police officer crushed my feet with his boots.”
“I was in a lot of pain, and I did not have shoes on,” the woman said.
The video appears to show Stein using his full weight to stand on top of the woman’s stocking feet — while they rested on the chair’s metal pedals.
She can be heard hollering at Stein several times to get off.
“You’re hurting me. Get off my feet a$$&ole,” the woman said in the video.
When Stein didn’t move, she spat in his face.
The video then shows the officer quickly slapping the woman’s face with an open hand, then punching her four times in the jaw with a closed fist.
Woman plans lawsuit, breaks silence after being punched repeatedly in face by Brooklyn cop.(Brooklyn Police Department)
A female officer behind the woman can be seen reacting to the outburst.
Attorney calls for de-escalation
The woman hired attorney Keith Hansbrough, who said the officer’s actions were both aggressive and excessive.
“It wasn’t necessary to step on her bare feet with his 250 pounds of weight and his boots — to crush her for three minutes — while she was screaming in pain and no one did anything,” Hansbrough said.
“They let it happen.”
When asked if he felt Stein provoked the situation, Hansbrough said the officer had a duty to de-escalate it.
“Not only did Paul Stein fail that duty, he actually escalated the situation,” Hansbrough said.
Officer fired and charged
In September, Police Chief Scott Mielke investigated the incident and fired Stein.
A special prosecutor was asked to review the case and earlier this month he charged Stein with one count of misdemeanor assault.
Court records show Stein has since pleaded not guilty.
The woman believes he should have faced more serious consequences.
“A felony,” she said when asked what Stein should have been charged with.
Stein’s pre-trial hearing is set for March 2.
The woman’s attorney plans to file a lawsuit against Stein and the police department this summer.
He also plans to file suit on behalf of the Maple Heights man who claims he was also assaulted by Stein last year.
Attempts to reach Stein and his attorney for comment were unsuccessful.
Need an investigation? Contact 19 Investigates with your request.
Copyright 2026 WOIO. All rights reserved.