Caldwell detective testifies video ‘shocked’ him as trial begins for ex-police officer
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Hoadley Series
The FBI began investigating at least two Caldwell Police Department officers in 2021. So far it’s led to four federal charges against one Caldwell police officer: Lt. Joey Hoadley, who since has been fired. Here is our coverage since the investigation began.
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Caldwell Police Detective Joseph Cardwell testified Monday that he was “scared to death” to turn former Lt. Joey Hoadley into the FBI.
A 14-person jury listened as Cardwell testified that he would eventually report both Hoadley, who has been fired, and a now-resigned sergeant, kicking off an FBI investigation into the Caldwell Police Department that has lasted more than a year.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Francis Joseph Zebari said in court Monday at the federal courthouse in Boise that the FBI notified the department in June 2021 that it would be investigating the two officers, who are friends. Caldwell Police Chief Rex Ingram also confirmed that another officer was being investigated.
No charges have been filed against the other officer, so the Idaho Statesman is not naming him.
“He was supposed to protect the citizens of Caldwell; instead, he assaulted one,” Zebari said of Hoadley during his opening statement.
Hoadley was indicted on four federal charges, including an allegation that he struck a man, identified as B.H., while arresting him in 2017. He’s also been charged with destruction, alteration or falsification of records in a federal investigation, tampering with a witness by harassment, and tampering with documents.
Hoadley was fired in May after a career that spanned more than 20 years with the Caldwell Police Department. A review of the Caldwell Police Department’s Facebook page showed that Hoadley was a publicly celebrated member of the force, receiving the Lifesaving Award at least twice — in 2014 and 2018. He also worked as a spokesperson for the department.
Ingram told the Statesman by phone Monday that he is proud of the officers in his department and that Caldwell is still hiring.
The jury was selected after a roughly four-hour process, known as voir dire. The four men and 10 women likely will hear from at least a dozen witnesses — a lot of them current and former Caldwell Police Department officers — over the approximately weeklong trial.
The pool of jurors faced questions from the prosecution, defense and U.S. District Judge Scott Skavdahl — a Wyoming judge presiding over the case — about their interactions with law enforcement. One potential juror was excused after he said he’s had negative experiences with police.
(Depending on caseloads, timing and other factors, district judges can oversee trials in other states.)
One of the questions posed by Assistant U.S. Attorney Katherine Horwitz to the potential jurors was whether marijuana should be legalized in Idaho. B.H. was arrested and later convicted of possession of marijuana. A number of people raised their hands.
Two jurors were excused after they said they weren’t sure whether someone should be innocent until proven guilty.
“Our system works because of you, and it’s the greatest in the world because of you,” Skavdahl told the potential jurors.
‘I didn’t want to be any part of that,’ Caldwell detective testifies
In May 2016, Cardwell, Hoadley and other Caldwell police force members attended a Northwest Gang Investigators Association conference in Spokane, Washington. A photo presented in court Monday showed the group together during the conference.
After a class one day, Cardwell said he was having a beer with Hoadley and two other officers when Hoadley pulled out a phone and showed the other two guys a video. Cardwell said he asked to watch the video when he noticed some of the other guys laughing and appearing shocked.
The video — which might have come from a body camera, he said — depicted a man with his hands behind his back, seated. A fist came into the frame and punched the detained man “right in the face,” Cardwell testified.
“I was shocked and kind of embarrassed because we’re officers of the law, and to have that on your phone — I didn’t want to be any part of that,” Cardwell said.
Cardwell testified that Hoadley admitted he punched the guy in the video. The atmosphere got very awkward, Cardwell said, and he left the group after finishing his beer.
It wasn’t until 2020 that Cardwell reported the incident to the FBI. During Monday’s testimony, he became emotional and said he didn’t feel like he could tell his superiors, testifying that Hoadley was friends with high-ranking officials for both the city of Caldwell and Canyon County.
“So I’m not just going to go report something right away, because I’m scared to death of turning in a high-ranking official that’s friends with all these people,” Cardwell said, responding to defense attorney Charles Peterson’s line of questioning. “I’m one man. It’s David versus Goliath.”
The trial will resume in Boise on Tuesday.
This story was originally published September 19, 2022 at 8:06 PM.
