Defense Verdict Obtained in Police Excessive Force Case

By: Alan R. Dembiczak

adembiczak@hl-law.com

860-249-1361 Ext. 148

McCarthy v. Hartford – The plaintiff filed a civil rights suit against multiple Hartford police officers alleging that the officers use excessive force during the course of his arrest. The suit was based upon an incident where the plaintiff led officers on a high-speed chase in downtown Hartford. After the plaintiff’s vehicle crashed, he exited and engaged one of the officers in a fistfight. At about the same time, a tow truck was driving by, at which time the plaintiff attempted to get into the passenger’s side of the moving tow truck. The tow truck operator stopped, and about the same time, other officers arrived on scene, and all of them were able to place the plaintiff into custody. Part of the incident was captured on one of the police cruiser’s video camera system. The matter was tried in Connecticut District Court in New Haven before a jury. After about 40 minutes of deliberation, the jury returned a defense verdict on all counts.