Part of Lawsuit Against Vernon Police Dismissed

A U.S. District Judge has dismissed part of a lawsuit filed by a Vernon man against the town’s police department, alleging that police cruisers were purchased that were knowingly too small to accommodate large suspects.

Following his arrest in Sept. 2012, Mark Sherman filed suit against two officers, claiming they used unreasonable force in squeezing his 6-foot-2, 260 lb. body into the back of a cruiser, according to the Connecticut Law Tribune.

Sherman claims he was forced into the back of the cruiser, a Dodge Charger, and was practically lying down in the rear of the car.

That portion of Sherman’s suit will be allowed to proceed, but the second part, alleging a violation of constitutional rights on the town’s part by the supposed intentional purchase of small cruisers, was dismissed by Judge Michael Shea.

In his decision, Shea wrote, “These conclusory allegations are devoid of sufficient facts to support an inference that the town has a custom or policy that resulted in the violation of Sherman’s constitutional rights. As defendants point out, plaintiff does not state sufficient facts to allege that a policy of using a certain type of police vehicle is unconstitutional on its face.”

Lt. William Meier, the Vernon Police Department spokesman, said police officials have “no comment” about the pending lawsuit.

Read more at www.ctlawtribune.com.

Photo courtesy of Vernon Police Department