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A man in Washington, DC, sues a police officer for probing his anus and seizing his bads during an invasive bodily search during a stop-and-sting I & # 39; last year.
A two-minute video of the incident shows MB Cottingham – a 39-year-old man who works as an ice cream salesman – was searched by Metropolitan Police Chief Sean Lojacono in the Bellevue section of the city on September 27th.
million. Cottingham and his friends were discussing plans for his birthday when two police cars fired, according to the American Civil Liberties Union. Several police officers later asked Mr. Cottingham and his friends if they had any weapons, which prompted the group to say that they had not done so.
million. Cottingham then pulled out a legal amount of marijuana from his sock and agreed to let him avoid a confrontation, said ACLU officials. An officer was later seen on the video pouring a bottle of alcohol.
But the officer took what should have been a routine and turned it into a "shocking and unjustified invasion" of Mr. Cottingham's privacy. Scott Michelman, who represents Mr. Cottingham
The ACTU claims that the officer violated the Fourth Amendment's right of Mr. Cottingham to be free from unreasonable searches and seizures.
"He put a finger in my crack, man," said Cottingham. to his friends during the search, videos show. "Do not do that, man … I have nothing."
million. Cottingham then followed the instructions of the officer to squat to allow the search to continue, but the officer continued to push beyond the reach according to officials. ACLU, he pushes his fingers into the bad and anus of the man and grabs his scrotum.
"Stop fingering me, man," Mr. Cottingham said to Officer Lojacono. "You're fingering me, boy."
"I'm out of your pants, brother," the officer replied. "Relax."
"Do not sit here and do not touch me like that, as if I were not a man," said Mr. Cottingham
. [his] "When a routine search turns into an invasive attack, the officer does not pursue a lawful purpose of law enforcement, but simply degrading someone and baderting his or her own power, "said Michelman. A police spokesman declined to comment on Thursday, citing ongoing litigation.
ACLU officials said the department head, Peter Newsham, acknowledged the video and felt that the officer had touched Mr. Cottingham inappropriately.
In addition to his discomfort in the bads for weeks, Mr. Cottingham is now suffering from anxiety, depression and fear of being in public, according to ACLU officials. been so humiliated in my life, "said Cottingham in a statement," It is bad enough that members of my community are arrested and searched by the police all the time. "
" I was repeatedly searched and even beaten by the police.But this officer treated me as if I were not even a human being. "
This article was published in l & # 39; originated on The New York Post and has been reproduced here with his permission.
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