Lawyer of man Glendale police used stun gun on wants jury to decide
Feb 11, 2019, 8:43 AM | Updated: 6:13 pm
PHOENIX – The attorney for a man who is suing the Glendale Police Department for using a stun gun on him 11 times in a single incident said there was more video in the case.
Initial body-cam footage of the July 2017 traffic stop showed Johnny Wheatcroft, a passenger, being pulled out of a car and electrically shocked. Another officer was said to have been hit in the head and knocked unconscious by another passenger.
“The police officer who allegedly was injured during the scuffle … he’s asked what happened and … he laughs,” Marc Victor said Monday on KTAR News 92.3 FM’s Arizona’s Morning News.
“People will make a decision how they feel about this video, as well,” he said.
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The lawsuit, filed in federal court in July 2018, named the city of Glendale, officers Matt Schneider, Mark Lindsey and Michael Fernandez as defendants, citing amendment and civil rights violations.
Lindsey was hospitalized after the arrest of Wheatcroft and his wife Anya Chapman on aggravated assault charges.
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Police said in a statement released Friday that Wheatcroft, 37, had been resisting officers, was argumentative and asked why he had to show them the identification they asked for.
“When you are a passenger in a car and are wearing your seat belt, Arizona law is you are not required to produce ID,” Victor said.
“Mr. Wheatcroft was clearly not the driver.”
Victor said Wheatcroft was kicked and electrically shocked in the genitals several times while he was handcuffed. His young children were in the car, crying. One of the minors tried to unstrap Wheatcroft from the seat belt he was still wearing.
There was no monetary figure included in the court documents.
“Mr. Wheatcroft wants his day in court. We’ll let a jury decided what it’s worth,” Victor said, hours before a press conference to release more details about the case.
That press conference was scheduled at noon.
About 20-25 protesters and community activists demonstrated outside Glendale police headquarters Monday afternoon, calling for a boycott of the city and for Wheatcroft and his family to be compensated.
KTAR News 92.3 FM’s Taylor Kinnerup contributed to this report.
