Zilam
08-01-2009, 05:23
So sayeth Belleville, Illinois (down the road from me) police.
http://madisonrecord.com/news/216591-man-arrested-for-wearing-police-t-shirt-at-christmas-party-sues-belleville-officer
The city Belleville and a Belleville police officer are being sued by a man who claims he was wrongfully arrested and charged with falsely impersonating a police officer after wearing a T-shirt with the word "POLICE" written across the front and back.
Adam C. Weinstein, of Missouri, claims he was attending a pre-Christmas party on Dec. 23, 2006, at about 11:34 p.m. at Crehan's Bar in Belleville, according to the complaint filed Dec. 22 in St. Clair County Circuit Court.
When Weinstein initially arrived at the party, he was wearing a green sweater with the black shirt bearing the word "POLICE" underneath the sweater. After getting hot at the bar, Weinstein removed his sweater, to reveal the "POLICE" shirt, the suit states.
Shortly afterwards, Weinstein claims he was told that some police officers wanted to talk to him outside.
Once he arrived outside, Weinstein was told to show officers his police identification, the suit states.
But Weinstein was a licensed Emergency Medical Technician and a licensed security officer, not a police officer, so he had no credentials, he claims.
Belleville police officer Jeff Vernatti placed Weinstein under arrest and placed handcuffs around his wrists, but "tightened them too tightly on Plaintiff," according to the complaint.
After Weinstein asked if it was illegal to wear a T-shirt with the word "POLICE" on it, Vernatti told him to "shut the f*** up, you're real f***ing stupid, you are a dumb-a** with no common sense, do you know how f***ing stupid you are?" the suit states.
Vernatti then twisted Weinstein's wrists and quickly walked him across the parking lot, Weinstein claims.
Vernatti shoved Weinstein against the police cruiser with such force that his belt buckle left an impression on his abdomen, then pushed Weinstein into the back seat of the car, according to the complaint.
When Weinstein asked Vernatti to loosen his handcuffs, Vernatti instead tightened them and added a second pair onto his wrists, the suit states.
After writing a non-traffic complaint, Vernatti let Weinstein go, first telling him how lucky he was not to be charged with a felony and to be placed in jail, Weinstein claims.
But before letting Weinstein leave, Vernatti ordered him to take off his shirt in the cold weather, according to the complaint.
All the while, other Belleville officers stood by and did nothing, the suit states.
Eventually, Belleville's prosecuting attorney dropped the case, the suit states.
Because of Vernatti's actions, Weinstein suffered extreme emotional distress, fright, nervousness, indignity, humiliation, insult, loss of relationship and comfort and was forced to incur medical costs, he claims.
Vernatti falsely arrested; falsely detained; illegally, violently and improperly handcuffed and wrongly charged Weinstein with impersonating officers, Weinstein claims.
He also used excessive force, publicly embarrassed, harassed, verbally abused, physically abused, cause grievous and severe injuries to Weinstein, violated Weinstein's protected civil rights and abused or misused their powers, according to the complaint.
.....More continued on the webpage
How can people be so ignorant? I wonder if they will go around arresting a child wearing a play sheriff's badge??? Cops have too much power, and not enough common sense.
http://madisonrecord.com/news/216591-man-arrested-for-wearing-police-t-shirt-at-christmas-party-sues-belleville-officer
The city Belleville and a Belleville police officer are being sued by a man who claims he was wrongfully arrested and charged with falsely impersonating a police officer after wearing a T-shirt with the word "POLICE" written across the front and back.
Adam C. Weinstein, of Missouri, claims he was attending a pre-Christmas party on Dec. 23, 2006, at about 11:34 p.m. at Crehan's Bar in Belleville, according to the complaint filed Dec. 22 in St. Clair County Circuit Court.
When Weinstein initially arrived at the party, he was wearing a green sweater with the black shirt bearing the word "POLICE" underneath the sweater. After getting hot at the bar, Weinstein removed his sweater, to reveal the "POLICE" shirt, the suit states.
Shortly afterwards, Weinstein claims he was told that some police officers wanted to talk to him outside.
Once he arrived outside, Weinstein was told to show officers his police identification, the suit states.
But Weinstein was a licensed Emergency Medical Technician and a licensed security officer, not a police officer, so he had no credentials, he claims.
Belleville police officer Jeff Vernatti placed Weinstein under arrest and placed handcuffs around his wrists, but "tightened them too tightly on Plaintiff," according to the complaint.
After Weinstein asked if it was illegal to wear a T-shirt with the word "POLICE" on it, Vernatti told him to "shut the f*** up, you're real f***ing stupid, you are a dumb-a** with no common sense, do you know how f***ing stupid you are?" the suit states.
Vernatti then twisted Weinstein's wrists and quickly walked him across the parking lot, Weinstein claims.
Vernatti shoved Weinstein against the police cruiser with such force that his belt buckle left an impression on his abdomen, then pushed Weinstein into the back seat of the car, according to the complaint.
When Weinstein asked Vernatti to loosen his handcuffs, Vernatti instead tightened them and added a second pair onto his wrists, the suit states.
After writing a non-traffic complaint, Vernatti let Weinstein go, first telling him how lucky he was not to be charged with a felony and to be placed in jail, Weinstein claims.
But before letting Weinstein leave, Vernatti ordered him to take off his shirt in the cold weather, according to the complaint.
All the while, other Belleville officers stood by and did nothing, the suit states.
Eventually, Belleville's prosecuting attorney dropped the case, the suit states.
Because of Vernatti's actions, Weinstein suffered extreme emotional distress, fright, nervousness, indignity, humiliation, insult, loss of relationship and comfort and was forced to incur medical costs, he claims.
Vernatti falsely arrested; falsely detained; illegally, violently and improperly handcuffed and wrongly charged Weinstein with impersonating officers, Weinstein claims.
He also used excessive force, publicly embarrassed, harassed, verbally abused, physically abused, cause grievous and severe injuries to Weinstein, violated Weinstein's protected civil rights and abused or misused their powers, according to the complaint.
.....More continued on the webpage
How can people be so ignorant? I wonder if they will go around arresting a child wearing a play sheriff's badge??? Cops have too much power, and not enough common sense.