Monday, November 24, 2003
A videotape of the arrest was broadcast on national and local news.
By PEGGY SINKOVICH
VINDICATOR TRUMBULL STAFF
WARREN -- A Kenilworth Southeast man and his family have filed a $36 million lawsuit against the city, the police chief and three officers alleging he was beaten when arrested in June.
Melanise and Lyndal Kimble and their minor children filed their lawsuit Thursday in U.S. District Court in Youngstown.
The federal lawsuit is assigned to Judge Peter C. Economus. No hearing date has been set.
Kimble, who has pleaded innocent to charges of assault on a police officer, possession of drugs and tampering with evidence, says police beat him when he was arrested June 28 on Kenilworth.
Videotaped arrest
A neighbor videotaped his arrest, and the tape was broadcast on national and local news.
Greg Hicks, city law director, said he is unable to comment on the lawsuit.
Police Chief John Mandopoulos has said that his officers acted properly during the arrest and were attempting to get crack cocaine out of Kimble's mouth before he swallowed it.
The suit states that the officers beat him and physically restrained him despite his pleas asking them to stop.
"The scene in front of the plaintiff's home became a veritable spectacle and another sad post-modern American filmed image and object lesson in this country's wrestling match with police brutality," the suit states.
"All three white officers continued to assault, mace, slam and strongly exhaust themselves physically against the body of the plaintiff for no apparent reason," the suit states.
Kimble is black.
One of the officers involved in the arrest, Greg Hoso, testified during a preliminary hearing that he was injured by Kimble during the arrest and had to be treated at a local hospital.
The arrest has caused Kimble physical and emotional distress and caused emotional stress for his family, the suit states.
sinkovich@vindy.com