Noel Bender is suing the county and three deputies: Scott Sorrow, Omar Chavez and Ray Hicks for the alleged used of excessive force at the apartment complex he manages at 933 E. Avenue Q4 on Aug. 26, 2009.
"This is a case about protecting our civil rights," his lawyer, Bradley Gage, said in opening statements today. "Noel Bender was handcuffed and beaten by rogue cops without provocation on false charges."
However, defense attorney Harold Becks played a video of an interview the 30-year-old Bender gave deputies after his arrest and asked jurors to remember some of the plaintiff's own words.
"I did something wrong," Becks quoted Bender as saying.
For all his complaints of aggression, Bender suffered only a bruise to the head, Becks said.
Becks said deputies were frequently called to the apartment building and that Sorrow was on his third trip there in one day when the confrontation with Bender occurred.
Bender filed his suit last July 2, alleging assault and battery intentional infliction of emotional distress and false imprisonment, as well as for civil rights violations.
According to Gage, after Bender offered to clean up the glass from the tenant, Sorrow became belligerent and handcuffed him. He said Chavez and
Hicks kicked his client after he had been thrown to the ground with the handcuffs on.Bender also was hit with pepper spray, Gage said.
But Becks said Bender was not struck after the handcuffs were put on him. He also said the cuffs and the pepper spray were used as a last resort because of his resistance.
Becks said that contrary to Gage's description, Bender's demeanor when he came upon Sorrow was confrontational and he accused Sorrow of harassing his tenants.
Becks said that the male tenant who broke the bottle was with a woman who was smoking marijuana.
Source: http://www.dailynews.com/news/ci_18184692?source=rss
Vitamin C Paz Vega Sarah Polley Gretha Cavazzoni Maria Bello
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