Warren police respond to lawsuit alleging excessive force
WARREN, Mich. (CBS DETROIT) - Body camera footage shows Warren police officers beat a 17-year-old at the end of a car chase in June.
The young man, Tyler Wade, is now suing the police department for excessive force.
"What it is, is police brutality," James King, managing attorney at Cochran Firm, said.
King released multiple angles from the officers' body cams as part of a lawsuit alleging excessive force.
"The two of them immediately slammed Tyler to the ground. The officer who grabbed Tyler by the neck without saying a word then proceeded to punch Tyler nine times," King said. "Then went around to the back of Tyler, because the other officers came, went around to the back of Tyler and then began stomping Tyler on his knees and back."
Wade's injuries include a concussion, blurred vision in his right eye and braces knocked off his teeth.
King told CBS Detroit on Thursday it was gut-wrenching watching the footage.
"I feel bad because initially when Tyler told me what happened, the events that he described seemed unbelievable," King said.
In a lengthy statement, Warren Police Commissioner William Dwyer defended his officers characterizing wade as a dangerous individual who fled from police.
He added one of the officers was suspended without pay following an internal investigation.
Read the full statement here:
Wade has pleaded no contest to receiving and concealing a stolen vehicle and eluding police.
The federal lawsuit alleges the officers acted in gross negligence; committed assault and battery; violated wade's constitutional rights, and intentionally inflicted emotional distress.
The following is the full lawsuit that was filed:
"Far too often in this country. We are seeing people who look like Tyler who are accused of committing a crime find themselves in a hospital or morgue because some officer decided to overreact," King said.