Wolfman1982
people are hard to please
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- May 26, 2005
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http://www.bradenton.com/2010/12/07/2792167/police-face-lawsuit-after-kiss.html
Reddits title
Homophobic cop insults transgendered family member, and strangles 14 year old boy blowing him a kiss
By BETH BURGER
BRADENTON BEACH -- A lawsuit was recently filed seeking damages against the Bradenton Beach Police Department after a former patrol officer made a felony battery arrest on a 14-year-old boy who blew a kiss at him.
The 20-page lawsuit filed by a Hillsborough County family is seeking damages after Lance Lewis, 14, and Veronica Lewis, 18, were both arrested for battery on a law enforcement officer on April 20, 2008. Lance Lewis was acquitted and Veronica Lewis’ case was dismissed, according to court documents.
The lawsuit states former Bradenton Beach Police Officer Tim Matthews had no probable cause and violated the Fourth Amendment when he arrested the teens who were walking at Coquina Beach.
After Lewis blew the kiss, Matthews responded by getting out of his car and asking Lewis if he was retarded, according to court documents.
Veronica Lewis noticed Matthews was aggressively approaching her brother, who was wearing a cast on a broken arm, and she reacted by stepping between the two, according to court records.
Matthews pushed Veronica Lewis aside and put a choke hold on Lance Lewis, the suit says. Veronica Lewis noticed her brother had a hard time breathing and told Matthews he was killing her brother. She placed her arm on Matthews’ arm to attempt to restrain him, according to court records.
“A teenager blowing a kiss at the officer in no way amounts to probable cause to confront the defendants nor does having a kiss blown at Officer Matthews create a reasonable suspicious that the Defendant or her brother were involved in criminal activity or that the defendants were armed and or dangerous,” said Tampa-based defense attorney Alex Hajaistron in court records.
No one could be reached Monday at the Bradenton Beach Police Department to comment on the suit.
According to the initial arrest report for Veronica Lewis, Matthews said Lance Lewis was using foul language near young children. Matthews said when he went to arrest Lewis. Veronica Lewis pushed him and Lance Lewis also pushed him and kicked him in the leg, according to the report.
Matthews, who had 13 years of experience in law enforcement at the time of the incident, resigned from the police department shortly after the arrests.
About a month later, he was hired at the Palmetto Police Department.
Palmetto Police records show Matthews had one disciplinary incident in May 2009 after he made comments during a service call about someone’s sex change to a family member.
He was reprimanded.
Reddits title
Homophobic cop insults transgendered family member, and strangles 14 year old boy blowing him a kiss
By BETH BURGER
BRADENTON BEACH -- A lawsuit was recently filed seeking damages against the Bradenton Beach Police Department after a former patrol officer made a felony battery arrest on a 14-year-old boy who blew a kiss at him.
The 20-page lawsuit filed by a Hillsborough County family is seeking damages after Lance Lewis, 14, and Veronica Lewis, 18, were both arrested for battery on a law enforcement officer on April 20, 2008. Lance Lewis was acquitted and Veronica Lewis’ case was dismissed, according to court documents.
The lawsuit states former Bradenton Beach Police Officer Tim Matthews had no probable cause and violated the Fourth Amendment when he arrested the teens who were walking at Coquina Beach.
After Lewis blew the kiss, Matthews responded by getting out of his car and asking Lewis if he was retarded, according to court documents.
Veronica Lewis noticed Matthews was aggressively approaching her brother, who was wearing a cast on a broken arm, and she reacted by stepping between the two, according to court records.
Matthews pushed Veronica Lewis aside and put a choke hold on Lance Lewis, the suit says. Veronica Lewis noticed her brother had a hard time breathing and told Matthews he was killing her brother. She placed her arm on Matthews’ arm to attempt to restrain him, according to court records.
“A teenager blowing a kiss at the officer in no way amounts to probable cause to confront the defendants nor does having a kiss blown at Officer Matthews create a reasonable suspicious that the Defendant or her brother were involved in criminal activity or that the defendants were armed and or dangerous,” said Tampa-based defense attorney Alex Hajaistron in court records.
No one could be reached Monday at the Bradenton Beach Police Department to comment on the suit.
According to the initial arrest report for Veronica Lewis, Matthews said Lance Lewis was using foul language near young children. Matthews said when he went to arrest Lewis. Veronica Lewis pushed him and Lance Lewis also pushed him and kicked him in the leg, according to the report.
Matthews, who had 13 years of experience in law enforcement at the time of the incident, resigned from the police department shortly after the arrests.
About a month later, he was hired at the Palmetto Police Department.
Palmetto Police records show Matthews had one disciplinary incident in May 2009 after he made comments during a service call about someone’s sex change to a family member.
He was reprimanded.
