Crime & Safety
Dog Owner Who Was Punched By Jersey City Cop May Get $925K Settlement
The Jersey City council is set to vote this week on a case in which a man was punched by a police officer after his pit bull got loose.
JERSEY CITY, NJ — After a man's rescue dog got loose in 2017, a police officer punched him in the face so badly that he needed surgery to prevent his eyeball from receding into his cheek, according to a story Monday on NJ.com.
This Thursday, the Jersey City council is set to vote on a $925,000 settlement for Jonathan Sanders in order to end his federal lawsuit, filed in 2018.
The police officer accused of punching Sanders died in a motorcycle crash last year at age 40.
Find out what's happening in Hobokenfor free with the latest updates from Patch.
According to reports, Sanders' pit bull, Mr. Magoo, escaped from his Duncan Avenue apartment on May 5, 2017.
Surveillance video from a neighbor shows Sanders talking to four officers.
Find out what's happening in Hobokenfor free with the latest updates from Patch.
An account of the video says that Sanders pointed in an officer's face several times. While trying to leash the dog, he claimed to have "lost his balance and put out his arm toward Police Officer Morton Otundo," resulting in the physical altercation, NJ.com says.
A legal research site notes, regarding the case, "The question was whether an officer reasonably interpreted the plaintiff's arm movement as threatening; his use of a slur indicated that the officer might have been untruthful, or at least biased in his perception, about perceiving the plaintiff's arm movement as a threat."
The City Council has voted several times to renew a $50,000 contract with a lawyer to defend itself in the case.
This Thursday, the City Council will decide whether to accept a settlement with Sanders.
Sanders suffered fractures to his sinus wall, nose, and right eye socket, and was hospitalized for six days, the NJ.com story said. He ultimately needed reconstructive surgery to prevent his eyeball from receding into his cheek, his attorney told the news outlet.
The city and four officers were named in the initial lawsuit, but two officers were dismissed.
In April 2021, Officer Morton Otundo's motion for summary judgment was partly granted and partly denied.
Get more local news delivered straight to your inbox. Sign up for free Patch newsletters and alerts.
