A 20-year-old skateboarder who was arrested by members of the Los Angeles Police Department on Saturday afternoon is making a claim of excessive force. According to the KTLA news story, Ron Weekley, Jr., was stopped by police because he was riding his skateboard on the wrong side of the street. The stop ultimately turned into a violent arrest, and Weekly ended up suffering a broken nose, broken cheekbone and concussion. A spokesperson for LAPD has indicated Weekly violently resisted arrest, a charge now being brought against him. Interestingly, there is a cell phone video which clearly shows one officer punching Weekly in the face while he is being held on the ground by a total of four officers.
See the KTLA news story and video HERE.
How does the stop and detention of a skateboarder for riding against the flow of traffic end up in such a violent arrest? While it is entirely possible for a suspect to resist so violently that broken facial bones could be warranted, it seems hard to imagine this could occur when the officers outnumber the suspect four to one. A police officer making an arrest for a nonviolent crime is entitled to use areasonable amount of nondeadly force to effect the arrest. What is reasonable is obviously subject to interpretation, but it doesn't likely include punching a suspect prone on the ground in the face with a clinched fist, as can be seen in the video. Where the amount of force employed exceeds the bounds of reason, the police officers and their department may have crossed the line and deprived the subject of their civil rights as guaranteed by the State and Federal Constitutions.
Compensation for the victims of civil rights violations by the police should be an important concern for all Californians. When someone who has been taken into custody is deprived of their civil rights and unnecessarily injured by the police, the governmental entity should be held accountable for all of the injuries and damages sustained. An Orange County trial attorney with experience at handling such cases can make a fair assessment of these claims. Mr. Ralph has more than 21 years of experience handling personal injury cases, including just this type. He can be reached at 714-919-4415 for a FREE CONSULTATION.
Have you or a family member been a victim of a civil rights violation?
Nothing in this post is intended to suggest the Law Offices of Paul W. Ralph currently represents anyone involved in the news story above. This posting should not be construed as legal advice or an opinion on the merit of any particular matter. A consultation is the best way to obtain an assessment of your potential case.
See the KTLA news story and video HERE.
How does the stop and detention of a skateboarder for riding against the flow of traffic end up in such a violent arrest? While it is entirely possible for a suspect to resist so violently that broken facial bones could be warranted, it seems hard to imagine this could occur when the officers outnumber the suspect four to one. A police officer making an arrest for a nonviolent crime is entitled to use areasonable amount of nondeadly force to effect the arrest. What is reasonable is obviously subject to interpretation, but it doesn't likely include punching a suspect prone on the ground in the face with a clinched fist, as can be seen in the video. Where the amount of force employed exceeds the bounds of reason, the police officers and their department may have crossed the line and deprived the subject of their civil rights as guaranteed by the State and Federal Constitutions.
Compensation for the victims of civil rights violations by the police should be an important concern for all Californians. When someone who has been taken into custody is deprived of their civil rights and unnecessarily injured by the police, the governmental entity should be held accountable for all of the injuries and damages sustained. An Orange County trial attorney with experience at handling such cases can make a fair assessment of these claims. Mr. Ralph has more than 21 years of experience handling personal injury cases, including just this type. He can be reached at 714-919-4415 for a FREE CONSULTATION.
Have you or a family member been a victim of a civil rights violation?
Nothing in this post is intended to suggest the Law Offices of Paul W. Ralph currently represents anyone involved in the news story above. This posting should not be construed as legal advice or an opinion on the merit of any particular matter. A consultation is the best way to obtain an assessment of your potential case.
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