Atlanta Hawks player sues NYC over arrest
NEW YORK- Atlanta Hawks player Thabo Sefolosha filed a federal lawsuit against New York City on Wednesday, alleging he was unjustly arrested outside of a trendy nightclub last year during a fracas that left him with a broken leg and ended his NBA season.
The guard-forward had been arrested in April 2015 outside the 1Oak nightclub in Manhattan. Prosecutors had alleged he repeatedly disobeyed officers' orders to leave the area around the club where another NBA player, Chris Copeland, had been stabbed.
Sefolosha claims in his lawsuit that he called one of the officers "a midget" before he was thrown to the ground and arrested. He testified at his trial that he moved off the block at the behest of a confrontational officer and was trying to give a panhandler a $20 bill when he was grabbed by police and taken to the ground.
The officers "attacked and jumped" on Sefolosha and one used a baton to hit him during the arrest, he claims in the lawsuit. Sefolosha has said he was left with a broken leg during the struggle, causing him to miss the playoffs.
Last October Sefolosha was acquitted of misdemeanor obstructing government administration, disorderly conduct and resisting arrest charges.
In November New York City's Civilian Complaint Review Board said that police had no right to arrest Sefolosha.
But the police watchdog agency also ruled that officers didn't use excessive force when Sefolosha's leg was broken in a struggle.