A video tape has surfaced which show that a 66-year-old elderly man was beaten by a Melbourne law enforcement officer. According to new sources, the video revealed that Derek Middendorf, the police officer, kicked Albert Flowers in his abdomen, jumped on top of him, choked him, and gave Flowers several blows to his head. Subsequently, another officer tased the man in the face. However, the police officer is claiming that Flowers approached him in an aggressive manner when he responded to the 911 call which alleged that Flowers had pulled a knife on one of his employees. The police officer said that he could not tell whether or not Flowers had a knife when he approached him. Additionally, a relative of the elderly man claimed that he had warned the Flowers suffered from dementia.
Following this police beating, the officer has received a written reprimand for apparently turning off the record equipment, according to news sources. Further, Flowers has hired a Florida personal injury attorney and say that his client has sustained a brain injury and is unable to work anymore. Additionally, Flowers was arrested for battery on a law enforcement officer.
Police officers are authorized to use force in an incident which warrants it, however, law enforcement officers are prohibited from using excessive force. Our Fort Lauderdale personal injury attorneys help individuals who civil rights have been violated by a police officer. We recognize that not all law enforcement officials commit acts of police misconduct and we appreciate their efforts in attempting to keep our community safe. Sadly, there are a few officers who commit acts of police misconduct and those are the ones which need to be held accountable for their actions.
Yet, not only can officers be held criminally responsible, but the law also allows individuals who have been injured as a result of Fort Lauderdale police misconduct. It is important that you contact a personal injury attorney to discuss your circumstances if you have been hurt in a similar situation. When your civil rights have been violated you could have a legal claim to damages.
One of the most known cases of police brutality happened in 1991 in Los Angeles. In March of that year, some Los Angeles police officers were caught on video of beating Rodney King. Footage of the video showed that three officers kicked and clubbed King while he lay on the ground. King later sued and awarded a substantial monetary compensation in his personal injury lawsuit.
While law enforcement throughout the nation often uses tasers to incapacitate a suspect, their use of these devices is still controversial. A taser is a weapon which when discharged will fire probes into a given target. The M26 and X26 are two common taser devices that law enforcement officers use. According to a study conducted by the Stanford Criminal Justice Center, each of these devices can fire two probes up to a distance of 21 feet. Moreover, although they are programmed to deploy five-second bursts of electricity, when a police officer or other operator’s finger remains on the trigger, the charge or bursts of electricity can be prolonged indefinitely.
The use of tasers can cause serious injuries. If you have been injured in a taser related or police misconduct incident, contact one of our Fort Lauderdale stun gun attorneys to discuss your case.
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