Tommy
04-23-2007, 09:28 PM
BREAKING NEWS: Redwood City police officers win civil trial
A jury ruled today that seven Redwood City police officers did not use excessive force during the violent 2002 arrest of a man who died in police custody.
The verdict, reached in federal civil court in San Francisco after less than three hours of deliberation, ended years of litigation following the death of 3 Ricardo Escobedo, whose heart stopped after a struggle with the officers.
Police were called to Escobedo's ex-girlfriend's apartment on Nov. 17, 2002, because she complained that he was yelling at an upstairs neighbor from her balcony.
When officers arrived and began to search Escobedo, according to witness accounts, he pulled away and a struggle began in which police would use nunchucks -- two connected wooden sticks that are squeezed around arms and legs to cause pain -- to try and control the man, who was later found to have had methamphetamine in his system.
Escobedo's estate, represented by two of his 10 siblings, filed the civil rights lawsuit alleging that police put weight on him while he was on his stomach, which combined with the use of the nunchucks caused significant injuries and asphyxiation.
But Joe Howard, attorney for the officers, said they were dealing with a strong and resistant man.
"The officers didn't do anything wrong and it's really clear that the officers handled the situation appropriately and professionally," Howard said.
The city of Redwood City had previously settled with Escobedo's heirs, his two sons, paying them $250,000.
A jury ruled today that seven Redwood City police officers did not use excessive force during the violent 2002 arrest of a man who died in police custody.
The verdict, reached in federal civil court in San Francisco after less than three hours of deliberation, ended years of litigation following the death of 3 Ricardo Escobedo, whose heart stopped after a struggle with the officers.
Police were called to Escobedo's ex-girlfriend's apartment on Nov. 17, 2002, because she complained that he was yelling at an upstairs neighbor from her balcony.
When officers arrived and began to search Escobedo, according to witness accounts, he pulled away and a struggle began in which police would use nunchucks -- two connected wooden sticks that are squeezed around arms and legs to cause pain -- to try and control the man, who was later found to have had methamphetamine in his system.
Escobedo's estate, represented by two of his 10 siblings, filed the civil rights lawsuit alleging that police put weight on him while he was on his stomach, which combined with the use of the nunchucks caused significant injuries and asphyxiation.
But Joe Howard, attorney for the officers, said they were dealing with a strong and resistant man.
"The officers didn't do anything wrong and it's really clear that the officers handled the situation appropriately and professionally," Howard said.
The city of Redwood City had previously settled with Escobedo's heirs, his two sons, paying them $250,000.