- Police Brutality Watch

A Grand Rapids man's claim that his civil rights were violated by four city police officers was rejected by U.S. District Court jurors Wednesday. Jorge Navarro was seeking $15 million in damages against Grand Rapids officers Rob Veenstra, John Wittkowski, Jason Sotke and Greg Rekucki, who arrested Navarro in July 1999 after he allegedly assaulted his wife and ran from police. Navarro, a 26-year-old Hispanic man, filed suit in federal court, saying the officers, who are white, violated his civil rights by using excessive force, racial slurs and battery that caused him to develop depression, post-traumatic stress disorder and derailed his career and personal life. [more]