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$250,000 Settlement Received in Police Beating

After mediation with a federal magistrate, a Boston man agreed to drop his excessive force suit against Worcester City, Massachusetts in exchange for $250,000.

Charles Evangelista sued the city and six police officers after suffering a ruptured bladder while being beaten on March 26, 2003. He had been arrested for disorderly conduct, taken to a cell, knocked down and dragged into a hallway where he was kicked so hard his bladder ruptured. He later underwent emergency surgery. A videotape of the incident was erased that same night.

Evangelista sued for excessive force, assault, battery, and failure to intervene, report misconduct, supervise, and/or discipline. An assistant city solicitor stated the use of force "was reasonable under all the circumstances." Admitting no fault and backing his officers, the current police chief said he respected the decision to settle based on a risk assessment, and advocated the use of more risk assessment and risk management in preventing future incidents. See: Evangelista v. Marrotte, USDC MA, Case No. 1:05-cv-10311-MLW (2006).

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Related legal case

Evangelista v. Marrotte