From [HERE] The case of a black teenager whose federal civil rights trial against three white Pittsburgh police officers begins on Monday has polarized the city like no other incident since a black motorist died in an altercation with white officers in 1995, lawyers and activists say. “I’ve never had more white people discuss a case since the Jonny Gammage case,” said Tim Stevens, chairman and CEO of the Black Political Empowerment Project. “It has touched a big nerve.”

Jordan Miles, now 20, claims Officers Richard Ewing, Michael Saldutte and David Sisak used excessive force when they arrested him Jan. 12, 2010, on a Homewood street near his home and then filed false charges against him to justify their actions. The officers contend they had probable cause to chase a fleeing Miles — who they thought was armed — and used the appropriate amount of force to subdue him.

The officers said they confronted Mr. Miles because he appeared to be "sneaking around" with a heavy object in his coat that they thought was a concealed weapon. According to Miles, he was walking along Tioga Street to his grandmother’s house, talking to his girlfriend on his cell phone, when a car swerved to a stop in front of him and three men in dark clothes jumped out. The men asked him where his money, drugs and gun were. Thinking he was about to be robbed, he ran a short distance before slipping and falling in the snow. The officers were not wearing uniforms and were an unmarked car. Police apparently also did not activate any sirens or identify themselves.

The officers caught up with him and beat him into submission by delivering violent blows that left his face swollen and distorted. Police also used a stun gun and pulled out a chunk of his hair. The officers put him in handcuffs, and repeatedly shoved his face into the snow, causing a piece of wood to impale his gums, Miles has said. He is 5-foot-6 and 150 pounds and was unarmed. No weapons were found.