Today’s post was shared by The Workers’ Injury Law & Advocacy Group and comes from www.ctpost.com
   BRIDGEPORT — It was all there on video — a city man is shot twice with a stun gun after he runs from police in Beardsley Park and is then stomped by three officers as he lies on the ground. The stark video of the cops kicking the prone man made national news and triggered protests from local activists and civil rights groups when it popped up last year on YouTube. It also launched an FBI investigation into the officers’ conduct. On Tuesday, after receiving a Freedom of Information request from Hearst Connecticut Media, city officials said they agreed to settle the man’s civil rights lawsuit against the Police Department, paying him $198,000. The federal lawsuit originally called for a $10 million payout. “Considering costs associated with proceeding to trial, a resolution was reached that is fair and reasonable for all parties in this case,” said Police Department Spokesman William Kaempffer. On the video, recorded May 20, 2011, Orlando Lopez-Soto, 28, is seen running from the right side of the frame when there is the electric sound of a stun gun. Lopez-Soto falls face down in the grass and officers Joseph Lawlor and Elson Morales run up to him and begin kicking and stomping on him. The video was shot by an unnamed passerby. Officer Clive Higgins then pulls up in his patrol car, gets out, and leaning on Morales for support, also begins kicking Lopez-Soto. Lopez-Soto is serving a 5-year prison term after being found guilty of criminal possession of a firearm,… |
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