Personal Injury Law

Boston Police Brutality Allegations Gain Further Credence After Beaten Firefighter is Acquitted of Domestic Violence Charges

By Altman & Altman

A Boston Police Internal Affairs investigation is expected to heat up now that the man alleging Boston police brutality has been acquitted of assaulting his girlfriend.

Firefighter Wayne Abron claims that Boston cops David Santosuosso and Brian Dunford severely beat him when they arrived in his mother?s backyard while he and his then-girlfriend, Edwinna Wynn, were arguing loudly on March 23, 2008.

The two officers claimed that they had to pull Abron off Wynn. They say the then-41-year-old firefighter tried to hit them, which is why they called for backup.

Wynn has been adamant that Abron never touched her during their verbal altercation. She supports Abron?s allegations that the police officers attacked him. Wynn and three of Abron?s family members claim that the cops tackled him from behind and slammed his head against the ground.

Santosuosso and Dunford deny beating Abron, who was limp and bloodied when they brought him in. The police officers claim that the firefighter sustained his injuries earlier in the night during a fight with the father of Wynn?s child. Prosecutors, however, could not find evidence to support this claim. Wynn?s lawyer says that Wynn?s ex, who was not in town on the night of the beating, does not live in Massachusetts.

During his criminal trial, questions were raised as to whether the arresting cops organized a police cover-up of the beating. Abron sustained facial contusions and an eye-socket injury.

Boston cops and other Massachusetts police officers must never use excessive use of force, which is a form of police misconduct. Victims of police brutality can file a claim for Boston personal injury recovery.

Earlier this month, a 25-year-old Oxford, Massachusetts nursing assistant filed her Worcester County, Massachusetts police brutality lawsuit against the city and three of its officers, Chief Gary J. Gemme, Officer Mark Rojas, and Officer Kellen E. Smith. Katie Warren, who is 5?3 inches tall and weighs 120 pounds, claims that in September 2006, the two men approached her at a gas station and asked her why she wasn?t smiling. An argument ensued, and she says that as she tried to walk away, the cops grabbed her, twisted her arms behind her back, pulled her hair, slammed her head against a store window, threw her to the ground, verbally abused her, and took her into custody.

Warren says she sustained bruises from the arrest and received treatment at St. Vincent Hospital. She was later charged with disorderly conduct, resisting arrest, threatening to commit a crime, and disturbing the peace. The charges against Warren were later dismissed and she was put on probation for three months.

Beaten firefighter?s acquittal bolsters cover-up claim, Boston Herald, September 22, 2009

Woman files lawsuit against Officer Rojas, Telegram.com, September 21, 2009

Related Web Resources:
Boston Police Department

Boston Internal Affairs

Full post as published by Boston Injury Lawyer Blog on September 22, 2009 (boomark / email).