$75,000 Settles Baltimore Man's Excessive Force Claim
by Christopher Zoukis
A Baltimore, Maryland man has agreed to a $75,000 settlement of his claim that two Baltimore police officers used excessive force against him.
John Bonkowski was driving drunk May 13, 2012, when he was pulled over by Detective Mike McSpadden and Sergeant Harvey Martini. During the course of his arrest, Bonkowski ended up with a broken jaw. He was charged with DWI and second-degree assault.
After pleading guilty to the DWI, Bonkowski sued the officers for assault and battery in violation of the Maryland Declaration of Human Rights. The officers contended that they used only the force necessary to control Bonkowski.
Without admitting any wrongdoing, McSpadden and Martini agreed to pay Bonkowski $75,000 to settle his claim.
Case: Bonkowski v. McSpadden, et al., Baltimore City Circuit Court, Case No. 24C12005572 (December 27, 2013).
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Related legal case
Bonkowski v. McSpadden
| Cite | Baltimore City Circuit Court, Case No. 24C12005572 (December 27, 2013) |
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