Black Couple Allege Exessive Force in Suit Against Jacksonville Police

A Jacksonville man whom police used a stun gun on during a high school homecoming night brawl filed a lawsuit against the officers who arrested him, their former supervisor and the city of Jacksonville. The lawsuit claims that officers attacked him and arrested his wife without reason. Larry and Leslie Hinton name four Jacksonville police officers, the former police chief and a Cherokee County deputy sheriff in the suit filed Wednesday. It also claims the city is liable for employing the officers and allowing an unlawful arrest. Hinton alleges that officers beat him with a police weapon, used Mace and a Taser on him, knocked two teeth out and cracked a third tooth during his arrest. The night of Oct. 22, 2004, crowds of people in the parking lot of the Tomato Bowl were fighting and "out of control," Acting Chief Lt. John Page said earlier. A jury acquitted Hinton for charges of resisting arrest and interfering with the duties of a public servant at a Jan. 25 trial. A judge dismissed Mrs. Hinton's charge of disorderly conduct April 21. The suit is the second claim of excessive force filed against the department linked to the incident. Leisha Mosely claimed officers maced her, pulled her hair, shoved her over and kneed her back in a lawsuit she filed in February. Ms. Mosely's lawsuit blamed the fights on racial issues. It said a black boy sat next to a white girl during the football game and the girl's older brothers started an argument. The boys moved to the parking lot and involved relatives and friends of the boy. The suit says Hinton "had no idea what he was walking into" when trying to leave the game and saw officers handcuffing his wife. When he asked officers what was happening, he was "immediately attacked," the suit says. Former Jacksonville patrol officer Larry Pugh maced and beat Hinton, according to the lawsuit. Cherokee County deputy sheriff Gina Battley also attacked him and Jacksonville police officer Jason Price tasered him, the suit says. The suit also names three former Jacksonville police employees: Police Chief Mark Johnson, Officer Raymond Bouman and Sgt. Jeff Johnson. The Hintons ask for a jury trial in the lawsuit. They ask the jury to fine the defendants to compensate for attorney fees and medical bills and ask for punitive damages to deter the officers from repeating the alleged offenses.[MORE]

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[Sunlight]

The local Cherokee County District Attorney put Larry Hinton on trial in the county attorney's court. Mr. Hinton was acquitted. During this time, not one mention by the local media that the arresting officer who beat and maced Mr. Hinton and his pregnant wife, no mention that officer Larry Pugh was indicted for 12 counts of raping women during his traffic stops. Officer Larry Pugh has been sentenced to 12 years in federal prison.