Former Pa. resident sues Phila. cops for assault and battery

A former Pennsylvania resident has initiated an assault and battery complaint against

two Philadelphia police officers, alleging that he sustained physical injuries after being roughed up without cause two years ago during an arrest the plaintiff claims was unwarranted in the first place.

Philadelphia attorney Michael Drossner filed suit Sept. 5 at state court in Philadelphia on behalf of Jason L. Brown, who formerly resided in King of Prussia, Pa., but currently lives in Coral Springs, Fla.

The two defendants listed in the lawsuit are Police Officers Ernest Powell and Daniel Corbo.

According to the complaint, Brown had been in Philadelphia for a barbeque with his cousins on Sept. 11, 2010, when, after following his relatives to a nearby convenience store, he was accosted without provocation by the two defendants.

Brown was sitting in his vehicle outside of a corner store at Frankford Avenue and Foulkrod Street waiting for his cousins, the lawsuit states, when he was approached by an unnamed police officer who asked Brown for identification and vehicle information.

About four other Philadelphia police officers, including defendant Corbo, were at the scene at the time of the stop.

Officer Powell then asked Brown, to the plaintiff’s surprise, whether or not he had a weapon on him.

After asking the officer to repeat his question, Powell pulled his service pistol and pointed it at Brown’s head, the lawsuit alleges.

The other officers in attendance followed suit, the complaint states.

At that point, Brown was forcibly removed from his vehicle and slammed to the ground by the cops, the suit claims.

After handcuffing Brown, the officers searched the plaintiff’s vehicle, but found nothing illegal.

Brown had to be immediately transported to the hospital for treatment of injuries to his face, neck, wrists, forearm, chest and ribs, the complaint states.

To date, Brown has also received treatment from a hand specialist and a psychiatrist, the lawsuit claims.

Brown was initially charged with disorderly conduct, but the criminal charge was dismissed on March 9, 2011, by a Philadelphia Municipal Court judge after the arresting officers twice failed to show up to court, the complaint states.

The lawsuit claims that as a result of the incident, Brown suffered physical pain and injuries, anxiety and adjustment problems, emotional distress and humiliation, mental pain and anguish and other losses.

The complaint contains counts of assault and battery, false imprisonment, malicious prosecution and intentional infliction of emotional distress.

Brown seeks unspecified compensatory and punitive damages, attorney’s fees and other legal relief.

A jury trial has been demanded.

 

The case ID number is 120900504.