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Per the suit, Purnell was reportedly at his house with two females who also lived there when the two women began fighting. Purnell had nothing to do with the argument, but he did reportedly attempt to break up the fight at one point. One of the women may have called the police or asked a relative to contact the police, according to the complaint.
Once the police arrived, they attempted to arrest Purnell. The suspect refused to leave the house, so authorities had little choice but to call for backup. What was originally a simple fight quickly became a five-and-a-half-hour standoff with police.
According to the complaint, the authorities called out SWAT teams, fire department staffers, K-9 units, and a crisis negotiation team to de-escalate the situation. The suspect was allegedly on the phone with his attorney, who advised him to surrender by stepping outside and waving a white cloth. When Purnell attempted to make this move, the authorities’ K-9 units responded under the assumption that the suspect was armed and dangerous.
The lawsuit goes on to state that the extremely aggressive dog began attacking Purnell with excessive force, ultimately biting his finger completely off. The dog reportedly dropped the finger and then bit Purnell’s leg. This bite was so strong that it fractured the suspect’s left femur.
Reports suggest that the police did not attempt to preserve the severed finger. Instead, the missing digit was left at the crime scene. It was discovered days later. Instead, authorities allegedly took the suspect and “forcibly injected” him with ketamine.
According to the lawsuit, the authorities’ use of force did not match the severity of the situation, especially considering the suspect never committed any crime. On top of that, the police dog was unnecessary and excessively aggressive. Per the lawsuit, it also appears that the police may have known about the dog’s aggressiveness and force, since the dog’s nickname was “Jaws”.
When you get arrested, you have the right to be free from excessive use of force. The police should only ever use force that matches the severity of the situation. It is legal for police to use a dog during the apprehension process, but they are required to give the suspect time to surrender first.
Have you ever experienced a serious violation of your rights while you were being arrested, detained, questioned, or otherwise interacting with a law enforcement officer? If so, then it’s important to understand your rights and options. The Constitutional right to be considered innocent until proven guilty means that you should never have your rights trampled over in the early stages of a criminal investigation or arrest.
To get a comprehensive overview of your rights or to discuss your legal situation in depth with a lawyer, contact our team directly.
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