Excessive force involving one plaintiff and two officers. Strikes to the head with hard object while handcuffed. Minimal physical injuries. Witness saw incident from window. Officers denied completely. Original jury award of $5,000 compensatory and $100,000 punitive. Reduced to $50,000 compensatory following post trial motion to reduce punitive award.
On 10/6/12, two Bellingham officers entered Ms. Graham’s home without a warrant. When Ms. Graham began to openly video record the encounter and protest the officers’ actions, Defendants arrested her, using unreasonable force. She was charged with assault and battery with a dangerous weapon, and three misdemeanors. The criminal charges were dismissed. Ms. Graham’s cell phone video shows the officers arresting Ms. Graham and using unreasonable force. The case received local publicity. The case settled after an early mediation.
Sidney Gurley, 46 African American inmate at Gus Harrison, died of peritonitis from an undiagnosed appendicitis. Sidney reported, on multiple ocassions, abdominal events. Kited, but not seen by healthcare until day before his death. Even then, he was misdiagnosed as suffering urinary tract infection. Officers ignored obvious signs of illness and other inmates complaints on behalf of Sidney. Of course, officers reported during rounds they checked for breathing and signs of life, even up to the point of rigors. Also settled for confidential amount with attending physician assistant.
Plaintiffs, two African-American teenaged boys, were stopped by City of Poughkeepsie police because one (Dancy) supposedly matched the description of a suspected robber. When the other, Elting, tried to call his mother on his cell phone, he was taken to ground by defendant McGinley and beaten by McGinley and other officers while restrained. Elting was arrested for OGA and later the police claimed he possessed crack cocaine. Meanwhile, another officer, Williams, slammed Dancy’s head against side of patrol car, resulting in hairline jaw fracture.
Police shot Iraq veteran in head with “less lethal” beanbag during protest march, causing traumatic brain injury.
Police shooting of unarmed, mentally disabled veteran, 51 y.o. man after car chase; survived by parents.