A civil lawsuit has been filed in federal court against a Lawrence, Massachusetts, police captain and the city itself for a March incident that is being called an "unreasonable and excessive use of force" by attorneys for the suit's plaintiff.
Lawrence Police Captain Michael Mangan — who NBC10 Boston reported in May had been placed on paid administrative leave — is named in the lawsuit, which alleges that Sodiq Amusat was "needlessly tackled, forcibly pressed onto the ground and handcuffed" after being "viciously clotheslined” by Mangan.
The incident happened inside a Lawrence Police Department booking area after Amusat's arrest during the early morning hours of March 10, which the lawsuit said stemmed from a noise complaint about music playing in his apartment.
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The suit specifically notes, though, that Amusat was unclear about why he was being arrested and not given clarification when he asked for it.
Mangan apparently said in a police report that while in the booking room and next to two officers, Amusat “slightly turned and bladed his body" and “threw his outstretched right arm to grab at my face with his fingers in a grabbing motion."
The lawsuit, though, said that was a false claim, and instead stated that Amusat was "slightly turned to his left and was talking to Officer Rodriguez and using his hands in a non-threatening manner."
The complaint alleged that Mangan "initiated a violent takedown" of Amusat, despite him not physically resisting, attempting to flee or verbally threatening the officers.
Also alleged by the plaintiff side is a cover up by the City of Lawrence through irregularities in reporting the use of force. The complaint additionally claimed that the policies and customs of the city "were the moving force" behind the incident.
A source provided the surveillance video to NBC10 Boston to view in May.
The video of the incident appeared to show Amusat talking with two police officers when all of a sudden one of the officers lunges at the man and clotheslines him, knocking his head into the wall and then to the floor. Both officers then try to restrain him, with a third officer coming in to assist.
"This is unacceptable. Completely, completely unacceptable," Lawrence City Councilor Ana Levy said at the time, who added that she was in shock after seeing it.
NBC10 Boston spoke with Tim Houten, the attorney for the city, on Wednesday. he said the incident does not represent the entirety of the police department.
"Once the city became aware of the situation we took action immediately. I can't speak to why, I mean it should have been immediately reported to the city and it was not.
He says the city expects to finish their own investigation by next week.
In a statement, Mangan’s union said In part that they stand by this respected superior officer.
