A federal civil rights lawsuit is being filed against the City of Milwaukee, a former Milwaukee Police Officer and eight current officers stemming from an incident in 2017 that caused a man to go into a violent epileptic seizure in the back of a police cruiser.
On January 24, 2019 attorneys from the Shellow Group and the People’s Law Office said they are seeking damages for their client, 26-year-old Rafael Rosales.
The attorneys say Rosales was kicked in the face by former officer Michael Gasser of the Milwaukee Police Department after surrendering from a police chase in 2017. Attorneys say Rosales was seriously hurt, he also had a massive seizure in handcuffs while in the back of a police vehicle.
Rosales sustained a broken nose, and was in the hospital for several days. Gasser was charged and sentenced to 14 days in prison, he also resigned from the police department, WISN News reports.
The lawsuit alleges several other officers were standing nearby during the incident and didn’t do anything to stop Gasser. It also alleges the other officers congratulated Gasser, wrote false reports and lied to investigators.
Flint Taylor from the People’s Law Office says:
“We are concerned that not only the Milwaukee Police Department but the prosecutors have not done anything about those who have covered up this crime. It is a police crime.”
The Milwaukee City Attorney’s Office said it cannot comment on pending litigation.
