Documents and Incidents Tagged "Lawsuit"

A lawsuit was filed against the Richmond Police then-Chief and the Virginia State Police Superintendent for its treatment of racial justice protesters during the summer of 2020.

29-year-old Verlon Johnson was shot to death unarmed on his front porch.

"On May 17, 2002, Detective Melvin led a team of eight other police officers to Verlon Johnson's South Side home to arrest him. Mr. Johnson came out of his house as ordered, his hands in the air. Detective Melvin testified that he saw the self-employed landscaper suddenly drop his right hand. The detective fired. Verlon Johnson fell backward onto his porch, his hands upraised and coming to rest by the sides of his head.

No gun was found. Further, Rosa Johnson, Mr. Johnson's wife, testified that her husband was left-handed. The Johnsons had five children, four of whom were in the house with their mother when their father was killed."

Twenty-nine-year-old father of five Verlon Johnson was shot to death while unarmed on his front porch in South Side as a nine-member police team attempted to arrest him on robbery and firearms charges.

No gun was found on or near Johnson. Detective David Melvin, the only officer at the scene to pull his gun, was charged with involuntary manslaughter.

Following two mistrials, he was acquitted at the third trial. The City settled out of court with Johnson’s widow for an undisclosed amount.

Joseph A. Wood's attack on LaQuinn Gilmore resulted in a federal lawsuit and Wood's resignation from CPD.

On March 8, 2021, Lamonta Gladney field a civil rights lawsuit against Tyler Timberlake and Kyle M. Schaefer.

As Gladney's lawyer alleged, he "suffered serious physical injury caused by Timberlake’s unlawful taser attack. Additionally, Gladney suffered and continues to suffer mental anguish, humiliation, and psychological pain...

The Defendant’s misconduct, done under the color of state law, as described below, was recklessly and deliberately indifferent to the life, safety, bodily integrity, well-being, liberty, and civil rights of Lamonta Gladney.”

Gladney presented three claims for relief. The first claim alleged deprivation of civil rights and violation of the Fourth and Fourteenth Amendments; the second with police brutality and excessive force; and the third with false arrest.

The case concluded in June 2022. Officer Timberlake and Fairfax County admitted no wrongdoing, but they agreed to pay Gladney a $150,000 settlement.

"A. The City of Richmond Police Department (“RPD”) agrees to memorialize a First Amendment policy in a General Order and will seek input from Plaintiffs, through counsel, with the ultimate policy being approved through RPD’s normal chain of command, and implement training once approved.

B. RPD will review its General Orders to determine which, if any, may be published on its website, in a fashion similar to Fairfax County, Virginia’s police department.

C. RPD will provide a status update to Plaintiffs’ counsel ninety (90) days from the date of this execution of this Release and Settlement Agreement, and on a continuing basis thereafter until all policies have been reviewed."

A legal filing submitted to the Virginia Court of Appeals named Arlington County Chief of Police M. Jay Farr and police officers Stephen Clark, Ryan Reese, Christopher McClaugherty, Alexander Varaklis, Jenna Bartholomew, and unidentified "John Does."

The memorandum opinion issued April 18, 2023 by the Virginia Court of Appeals explains:

"The complaint alleged that appellees were jointly and severally liable for gross negligence (Count I), willful, wanton, and reckless negligence (Count II), battery (Count III), and separately that Chief Farr was liable for grossly negligent supervision of the police operation carried out by his officers (Count IV)."

Jamar Gladden, appearing pro se and proceeding in forma pauperis, filed this

civil action under 42 U.S.C. § 1983, alleging that Defendant R.A. Oberholzer, a police officer for the City of Charlottesville, used excessive force against Gladden during a traffic stop on July 29, 2015.

On February 6, 2019, Gladden filed a one-count complaint alleging that Oberholzer violated his Fourth and Fourteenth Amendment rights. Gladden claims that he suffered a broken tooth, at least one cut requiring stitches, and a dislocated shoulder.

Gladden complied. Instead of restraining Gladden’s wrists, however, Oberholzer “grabbed [him] around the neck with his forearm in a ‘choke hold’ fashion” and “used his body weight to throw” Gladden to the ground. Oberholzer kept choking Gladden and holding him down while unknown “detectives kicked, punched[,] and struck” him.

A 2022 lawsuit was filed alleging unnamed VCU Police officers assaulted and pepper sprayed a man while he stood outside the hospital waiting for his ride.

On October 24, 2013, Latron Dupree Brown filed a lawsuit against the Albemarle County Police Department and Sergeant Dell Johnson, John McKay, Tavis Coffin, Jon Suitz, M. Frazier, Mark Jones, Matt McCall, Off. Hatter, Off. Wormley, and Off. Brake. The complaint describes Brown being pulled from the vehicle then assaulted by multiple officers at once on December 19, 2013. It also describes additional actions taken by ACPD following.

A complaint filed in Virginia Eastern District Court states: "On the 27th day of April Deputy James Merritte III told me to suck his [PROFANITY] in front of the hold unit and when on to say that he would suck mines too and if I needed anything for him to call me at [PHONE NUMBER]..."

The case, "Reed v Richmond City Justice Center" (Case No. 1:22-cv-00488-AJT-JFA) was filed by Troy Lamonte Reed on May 4, 2022 while incarcerated at Richmond City Justice Center.

A court complaint against Richmond Police Officer Ryan J. Novak and several unnamed John Does alleges unlawful search and seizure. The complaint was filed in Virginia Eastern District Court by Bobby Boomer on October 11, 2023. It was assigned the case number 3:23cv650.

A civil suit was filed against Paul L. Brothers IV for an assault he committed on April 3, 2021, for which Brothers was subsequently terminated from his position and briefly decertified by the Department of Criminal Justice Services.