Paris Police Facing Federal Lawsuit: Excessive Force In Bicycle Riding Arrest Of Child –

PARIS, IL. (ECWd) –

A Fourth Amendment lawsuit was filed in Federal Court naming Paris Police Officer Kevin Ring and the City of Paris as Defendants.

This lawsuit involves the minor son of Richard A. Davis, who was pursued and arrested for violating the City of Paris’ bicycle Ordinance for riding a bicycle on the sidewalk.

The Complaint is seeking an unspecified amount of Compensatory, Punitive, and Special Damages.

From the Complaint:

• On the aforesaid date and time Defendant Ring and Officer Matthew McConnell were both aware that the Paris Police Department Pursuit Policy allows a vehicular pursuit only when there is reasonable suspicion that the driver of the vehicle has committed a violent felony
• Despite his knowledge of S.D.’s disabilities, Defendant Kevin Ring, acting at all times willfully and wantonly, joined the pursuit when he used his squad car to closely pursue S.D., who was riding a bicycle, in violation of the Paris Police Department Pursuit Policy, and by doing so, he engaged in willful and wanton acts which constitute excessive and unreasonable force under the Fourth Amendment to the U.S. Constitution
• On aforesaid date and time Defendant Ring, in further violation of the Paris Police Department Pursuit Policy, and in furtherance of a conspiratorial motive with Officer Matthew McConnell, to hide their policy violations from the Chief of Police, failed or refused to advise dispatch of the pursuit of S.D., the reason for the pursuit, and the location and direction of the pursuit
• Defendant Kevin Ring, willfully, wantonly and recklessly drove his squad car over sidewalks, across a grassy area, back to the street, over the curb and into a front yard and hit the bicycle S.D. was riding with his squad car, in total disregard of S.D.’s safety and emotional well-being, in violation of the Paris Police Department Pursuit Policy, and by doing so, he engaged in acts which constitute excessive and unreasonable force and unlawful seizure under the Fourth Amendment to the U.S. Constitution, as well as assault, battery and reckless endangerment to S.D.’s life
• Officers Matthew McConnell and Travis Vice entered S.D.’s dwelling without a warrant, exigent circumstances, or consent and used excessive and unreasonable force against S.D., arresting him for violating the bicycle Ordinance
• In furtherance of the conspiracy to hide his own and Matthew McConnell’s policy and constitutional violations, Defendant Ring wrote a Supervisor’s Review of Incident Report in which he failed to detail his own misconduct in the pursuit of the minor, and, wrote that after reviewing the department’s policies, he found that there were no violations of policies and procedures in the incident, in a document written nine days after the incident and only after Paris Police Chief Eric Brown had reviewed department videos and requested an Incident Report from Matthew McConnell
• Officer McConnell physically arrested S.D., a minor and removed him from the custody of his father, for an alleged violation of a municipal bicycle riding ordinance punishable only by a fine

Read the Complaint (here) or below: