Civil-rights lawsuit alleges excessive force

No dollar amount of
damages was sought.

YOUNGSTOWN — A Youngstown man filed a civil-rights lawsuit in federal court against the city of Canfield, its police department and John Doe officers over excessive force he says Canfield police officers used against him last March.

Edward S. Kalosky, II, 37, of Tyrell Street, alleges that while he was a guest of El Patio Motel and Apartments, West Main Street, Canfield, officers slammed him to the ground March 2, even though he was handicapped.

Police officers approached Kalosky and two of his companions about 2 a.m. outside the motel, shone a bright light on all three and ordered them to “hit the ground,” the lawsuit said.

Thouigh the other two complied, Kalosky was unable to do so because of a disability of his left arm, which involved a steel rod having been surgically implanted in it, the suit said.

All three men tried to tell the officers that Kalosky was handicapped, and his handicap was “easily identifiable,” the suit said.

“The defendant officers ... began to force the plaintiff’s left arm down with their night sticks and also began beating down his arm, causing him great pain,” the suit said.

The officers held rifles to Kalosky’s head and told him they were going to put “hot lead” into him, the suit said, adding that Kalosky was not the man the officers were looking for.

The suit accuses the city of failing to properly hire and train officers and failing to establish proper procedures.

The suit does not seek a specific amount of damages.

Mark Fortunato, Canfield’s city attorney, said he had no comment on the suit and had not seen it.

The case has been assigned to Magistrate James S. Gallas in the courtroom of Judge Peter C. Economus. Atty. E. Yvonne Harris of Cleveland represents Kalosky.