Federal

David Woodman was a 22-year-old man who was walking home from the Fenway Park area in June, 2008 after the Boston Celtics won the NBA championship. As David passed a group of police officers, he was arrested for carrying an open container of beer. Witnesses reported that police officers slammed David to the ground. David was held by the police until EMTs arrived. When the EMTs arrived, David was not breathing, he had no pulse, and his body was blue and cold. He suffered a cardiac arrhythmia and brain damage. David died at the hospital 11 days later.

On May 4, 2012, Mr. Holding was loud while visiting a friend who lived next door to Defendant Lauria. When Mr. Holding returned to his friend’s house the next afternoon, Defendant Lauria was waiting for him. Defendant Lauria was on duty in his marked Revere police car wearing his police uniform. Defendant Lauria went up to Mr. Holding and, without provocation, punched, kicked, and cursed at Mr. Holding. Defendant Lauria fractured the bone at base of Mr. Holding’s right thumb and bruised Mr. Holding’s right shoulder, upper back, and left eye. Mr.

Jail deputies assaulted deceased causing bi-lateral jaw fracture. Plaintiff died 7 days later of cardiac arrest. Expert could not relate death to the assault.

On August 24, 2007, Kramer beat and kicked Ms. Kaye, causing multiple facial fractures, two broken ribs, among other injuries. Kramer was enraged that Ms. Kaye had not immediately complied with his unlawful order to shut her mouth and go back inside as she stood at her front door observing Kramer and other officers making an arrest in front of her home. Taunton Police Chief Raymond O’Berg has publicly complained about his inability to investigate wrongdoings within his department. As a result, officers believe that they are free to violate citizens’ rights with impunity.

On February 28, 2009, Boston police officers Lenane and Holt went to the public way behind the Pine Street Inn to “broom” the area of homeless people. When the officers approached, everyone fled except for Mr. Medina. Defendants incorrectly assumed that Mr. Medina had drugs. Lenane grabbed Mr. Medina’s throat and looked inside his mouth for drugs. Holt hit Mr. Medina on the nose with a hard metal object, breaking his nose. Both attacked Mr. Medina, kicking and punching him while he was on the ground. Defendants did not find any drugs and did not arrest Mr.

On Jan 30, 2010, Mr. Conforti traveled to Westport to help his sister, who is confined to a wheelchair. Mr. Conforti made arrangements with his sister’s neighbor to collect fallen branches from the neighbor’s yard, in order to heat his sister’s home. As Mr. Conforti drove through the neighborhood, he was followed by off-duty officer Napert. Napert arrested Mr. Conforti for larceny of wood, disorderly conduct and resisting arrest. Witnesses heard Mr. Conforti, a cancer survivor who had tracheal resection surgery, plead for help because he had wires in his chest and he had trouble breathing.

On May 19, 2010, Boston police officers arrested Ms. Wernikoff, a male-to-female transgender woman, because she was using the women’s bathroom at a homeless shelter. Ms. Wernikoff’s use of the bathroom based on her gender identity was entirely appropriate, as both BPHC policy and a Boston city ordinance make clear. Officers took Ms. Wernikoff to the police station, where male officers including forced her to remove her shirt and bra, exposing her breasts, and to jump up and down, causing her breasts to jiggle. The officers laughed at Ms. Wernikoff. She felt humiliated and degraded.