Fan Who Allegedly Punched Police Horse Is Suing Eagles, Cops
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PHILADELPHIA (CBS) – A man who was arrested during an Eagles tailgate for allegedly hitting a Pennsylvania State Police Corporal horse has filed a lawsuit.
It all began outside Lincoln Financial Field in Philadelphia prior to the NFC Championship game.
In a video provided to CBS Philadelphia by NJ Advance Media, a bloody 20-year-old Andrew Tornetta, a Temple student, is seen with police. He was later charged after authorities say he punched a police horse.
"That young man did not punch a horse yet he's demonized as an animal abuser," said Steve Marino, who's representing Tornetta.
Marino says his client is the victim, not the horse. In fact, charges against Tornetta were eventually dropped.
Tornetta insists his reputation was tarnished and he's suing a Philadelphia police officer, a state police officer and a security guard working for the Eagles organization. Marino says all three were involved in the altercation with Tornetta.
"Andrew tried to part with everyone else but his body was stopped by the throngs of people in front of him. The officer apparently didn't think he moved quickly enough and the video demonstrates reaches with his right hand down from his horse. Grabbing Andrew's collar and starts dragging along the side of the horse," said Marino.
In the lawsuit filed this week, Tornetta claims he was defamed, and assaulted. Marino says the 20-year-old is humiliated embarrassed and has persistent anxiety from the episode–an episode where complete strangers constantly harass the 20-year-old, according to Marino.
"They made pictures of him and photographs of him and put him on a T-shirt. Tragic. He's a college kid. It's awful what happened to him," Marino said.
CBS Philadelphia reached out and the Eagles, City of Philadelphia and Pennsylvania Attorney General's Office are not commenting on this lawsuit.