Latino Man alleges Brownsville police used excessive force during arrest

A man serving time for putting a Brownsville police officer in the hospital filed a lawsuit last week alleging brutality and excessive force by the Police Department. In his federal lawsuit filed Jan. 3, Cresencio Alfonso Hernandez, 34, said a police officer broke and permanently injured his left arm in a fit of uncontrolled rage during his Dec. 18, 2002, arrest. Hernandez said in his lawsuit that he filed a complaint with the Police Department's internal affairs unit, but alleged that his claims were never taken seriously. Brownsville Police Chief Carlos Garcia said an internal affairs investigation into the incident was opened on Dec. 27, 2002. But Garcia said the officers involved in the incident were cleared of any wrongdoing based on the testimony of witnesses at the scene.We do not feel excessive force was used, only what force was necessary to affect the arrest, he said. In his lawsuit, Hernandez said he and his girlfriend Corina Herrera were arguing after drinking at a downtown bar when they were approached by an undercover officer to see if everything was OK. The officer said in a report that he released Hernandez after Herrera decided not to press charges. Hernandez was stopped down the street by patrol officers Michael Cadriel and Ted Torres after they saw him running. The officers said in their reports that Hernandez stopped and then ran from them. They said Hernandez pushed Torres to the ground when he approached him. Torres was knocked unconscious after he hit the back of his head on the pavement. He was later taken to the hospital to treat a concussion. Hernandez contends he accidentally bumped into the Torres and was beaten by Cadriel after he tried to help the fallen officer up. [more]