The city of West Point is facing a federal lawsuit from a man claiming West Point police used unnecessary force while arresting him during a welfare check.
Starkville attorney Ben Lang filed suit on behalf of Clay County resident Reynaldo Gonzales in the Northern District Court of Mississippi last week. According to court documents, police punched, kicked and tasered Gonzales during a welfare check on him on April 24, 2015. Gonzales also faced criminal charges in the incident.
Court documents claim police arrived at Gonzales’ residence at the Hawkings Trailer Park in West Point and found Gonzales “in a state of serious mental distress, claiming that the rapture was occurring and making shocking and irrational allegations regarding his family members.” Police then attempted to arrest him, which Gonzales claims was a violation of his constitutional rights.
Gonzales was unarmed, the documents claim.
The complaint claims the force police used during the arrest left Gonzales with bruises, lacerations and several broken ribs. The court documents also say it was several hours after his arrest that Gonzales received medical treatment for his injuries.
Gonzales faces five counts of simple assault on a law enforcement officer from the incident, according to Clay County Circuit Court records. He was indicted on the charges in October 2015.
According to the indictment, Gonzales hit multiple officers in the face and “kicked (one) in the privates.” The indictment also said Gonzales caused more than $1,000 in damages to a patrol car and two tasers.
Gonzales’ criminal case is scheduled for trial in July.
In the federal civil suit, Gonzales is asking for “reasonable compensatory damages from and against each defendant, individually, jointly and severally,” as well as plaintiff’s court costs, the documents say.
West Point officials said they were unaware of the suit. Lang declined to comment until after the city has been served notice.
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