Melvin Yates is suing the government of Howard County, Police Chief William McMahon, and three officers for $50 million. In his federal lawsuit, the 23-year-old is accusing the officers of beating him until he became semiconscious at his father’s memorial party last April.
According to Yates, on April 10 police were called to the memorial party that Yates was holding for his father, who died in a motorcycle crash last year, because a fight broke out. Yates claims he was not involved in the disagreement and that he actually tried to leave the party because he was upset that his guests were disrespecting his father’s memory with their dispute. It was then that a police officer stopped him from leaving, several cops surrounded him, and he was told that he was going to jail.
In his Howard County police brutality complaint, Yates contends that he cooperated with the police officers, who handcuffed him, but that a number of police officers started shoving him against a vehicle, using objects to hit him on the head, and kicking and punching him. The 23-year-old’s allegations are contrary to police claims that he resisted arrest and pushed and grabbed the officers. Their charging documents maintain that they followed police procedure.
Yates’s Maryland injury lawyer says that her client sustained a concussion, bruises, a chipped tooth, a black eye, and cuts during the alleged police beating and that there are more than 10 witnesses who will support his claims. Yates’s sister reportedly captured a portion of the alleged police brutality incident on her phone’s camera.
Yates says he has tried to press assault charges against the police officers but he has been told that he lacks “probable cause.” His federal lawsuit accuses Howard County’s police department of civil rights violations, battery, false imprisonment, inadequate hiring practices, and poor training.
Maryland Police Brutality
Excessive use of police force is a serious problem. Many victims of Maryland police brutality don’t realize that their rights have been violated and are too scared to come forward. You may have grounds for a Maryland injury case.
Columbia man files $50 million suit against police, Explore Howard, June 16, 2010
Maryland Police Brutality: Columbia man files $50M lawsuit for beating, Top Wire News, June 16, 2010
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