Trooper Sues Over Arrest, Force In Wedding Brawl Aftermath
PITTSBURGH (KDKA) -- It was a night to live in infamy in September of last year, when a groom is reported to be "handsy" with a Gateway Clipper waitress and her boyfriend arrives on scene and punches him.
Then, the groom's brother – 35-year-old state Trooper David Williams of Plum -- is arrested for allegedly ignoring police orders to stand back and then fought with officers.
"If you're given an order by police officers, the best thing to do is obey it. Otherwise, you're going to end up at the Allegheny County Jail," said Pittsburgh Police spokesperson Sonya Toler.
But a lawsuit filed Tuesday disputes the official version.
KDKA's Andy Sheehan: "This version of events is not true?"
Attorney Tim O'Brien: "That version of events is not true."
Though his attorney, Williams says it was Pittsburgh Police who assaulted him. And they supplied surveillance tape as evidence.
In the video, the trooper comes on the scene, he says the check on his brother, when he says he is pushed away by Pittsburgh Police officers.
The video shows that after some discussion between the officers and Williams, the situation becomes violent when an officer wrestles Williams to the ground.
"Throwing him to the ground, punching him in the head, kicking him in the groin, and for that conduct, he was then charged with criminal offenses that he didn't commit in an effort to justify these abusive tactics," said O'Brien.
Williams, who conducts undercover investigations with state police, said he could not be interviewed but issued a statement saying though he did not want to sue fellow police officers, he felt he had no choice.
"These officers' false reports destroyed my reputation, traumatized my family and nearly caused me to lose my job and my liberty. If I hadn't discovered the surveillance videotape, I might never have been able to clear my name."
But the videotape does not record the verbal exchanges between the officers and the city's defense is unknown. The city Law Department says it has not reviewed he lawsuit and will have no comment.
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