Excessive Force Lawsuit Filed Against City of Laurel
Document cites excessive force, battery, and negligence in police slapping incident.
Pdfs
A man who said he was assaulted earlier this month by a Laurel Police officer has filed a lawsuit in Prince George's County Circuit Court against the City of Laurel.
The seven page suit contends that D'Ante Williams, 27, was subject to excessive force, battery, assault, negligence and intentional infliction of emotional distress at the hands of the Laurel Police Department after being handcuffed Aug. 5 at the Laurel Station Bar and Grill.
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The suit names J. Diaz-Chavarria as the officer who struck Williams repeatedly on the head and face while he was being taken away from the bar handcuffed. Police said they were called to the bar after Williams had been involved in a fight. Williams’ account of what happened was caught on video by a witness at the scene and was later broadcast on WJLA/ABC 7 news.
Colliemom
11:40 am on Thursday, August 16, 2012
So we have the perp (who had allegedly assaulted others after refusing to leave a Laurel bar around 2 AM, then returned to cause more trouble, which prompted call for help to police from the other people involved), and now we have a fine lawyer (who probably will have all of his billings paid from our tax dollars even if only $1 is awarded in damages as I understand the law). Both of them should be ashamed and embarrassed by their behavior. This perp was behaving badly, got caught, and then wants to whine because the police were mean (probably as he was mouthing off and calling them names etc). I don't think police should behave badly; but they are human and can lose their tempers when provoked. The cause of all the issues here were the perps bad behavior; he shouldn't be rewarded in any way for this. And....I'm thinking probably his face was "scarred" rather than "scared"?
tanisha
5:26 pm on Thursday, August 16, 2012
Still does not give an officer the right to hit someone handcuffed.
RVN6768
8:59 am on Saturday, August 18, 2012
D’ante Williams was the casure of the problem at the bar, he is the responsible party. not J. Diaz-Chavarria. Why doesn't the NAACP protect his interests?
NeedRealNews
2:47 pm on Sunday, August 19, 2012
I would say it actually does. Things called communicable diseases.
Hard Harry
9:21 pm on Saturday, August 18, 2012
No one called police. They were already there working security. Thats what they do on the weekends. Does not matter if he fought someone earlier. Still doesnt justify punching him in the face while hes handcuffed. The video doesnt show him struggling with the cops. Its wrong.
NeedRealNews
2:39 pm on Sunday, August 19, 2012
It shows him turning his head three times, probably spitting as the officers claims... and they work there because the bar obviously has problems with out them. Why else do bars hire police?!
BB
10:00 am on Tuesday, September 18, 2012
All of these comments from from NeedRealNews, RVN6768 and CollieMom is what they would do to you if they thought a camera/video was not in use. Yes, the perp was the problem. But to strike someone who is handcuffed is not a fair fight. So the police can't handle someone calling them names. There are lots of good police out there and you take up for the bad one. Hide behind your "hoods."