CLEVELAND (AP) - Cleveland has agreed to pay $250,000 to a man with Down syndrome who said a police officer slammed him against the hood of a hot car when he was 16.
A lawsuit alleged that an officer chased Juan Ortiz and held him on a car for 15 minutes in 2010. Police say Ortiz, who was under 5 feet tall and weighed roughly 118 pounds, matched the description of a robbery suspect.
The attorney for Ortiz’s family tells Cleveland.com (https://bit.ly/2eMGym4 ) that Ortiz suffers from chest pains, wrist cuts and an abscess near his groin. He also was diagnosed with post-traumatic stress disorder.
The city has denied any wrongdoing. Officials declined to comment on the settlement.
The family’s lawyer said Monday that they expect disciplinary cases against two officers to proceed.
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Information from: cleveland.com, https://www.cleveland.com
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