Minnesota Vikings defensive tackle Tom Johnson filed a lawsuit in a federal court Friday, stating he was the victim of excessive force and false arrest.
Johnson is suing two police officers and the city of Minneapolis over an October 2014 incident at a club in which he accuses them of violating his civil rights. According to Johnson, the two officers were working security at Seven restaurant in downtown Minneapolis. He says they started a confrontation that ended with him being hit with pepper spray, subdued with a stun gun and arrested.
He is seeking unspecified damages in excess of $75,000, saying he was “injured, jailed, publicly humiliated and ultimately forced to defend himself from criminal charges”. He also wants an order in place to discipline the officers and for the department to change its stun-gun policies.
Johnson was arrested after according to police, he ignored their commands to leave. That was when they allegedly used pepper spray and stun gun on him. In June, a jury acquitted him of all criminal charges.
Currently the department is reviewing the lawsuit.
Source: ESPN
