Lawrence, MA - The city agrees to pay $400,000 to Manuel Colon because police officer Carl Farrington assaulted him in 2006.

LAWRENCE, MA — Manuel Colon and Jose Jimenez were driving through the city in a car they had just picked up at Logan International Airport as a favor for a friend on Dec. 14, 2006, while Colon was visiting from Puerto Rico.

Marked and unmarked police vehicles converged on their car as the two men drove along Common Street about 10:30 p.m. Acting on a report that the car had been stolen, which later proved erroneous, police ordered the two men out and took them to police headquarters in handcuffs.

Colon said he was put in a cell and brutalized by police for several hours. After he complained his handcuffs were too tight and that he was having difficulty breathing, Colon said Officer Carl Farrington punched him in the face, bloodying Colon's nose and fracturing bones around an eye.

Colon and Jimenez were released early the next morning. The stolen vehicle charges against them and a disorderly conduct charge against Colon were dropped at their arraignment a few hours later.

Late last month, the city agreed to pay Colon $400,000 to drop the suit. The city and Farrington admitted no wrongdoing, and Colon agreed to give the financially strapped city until Sept. 1 — two months into its next fiscal year — to pay $350,000 of the settlement. The first $50,000 is due Monday.

Boddy, Mayor William Lantigua and police Chief John Romero did not return phone calls. Farrington remains on duty, but was not working yesterday and could not be reached. In court papers, he claimed that Colon had struggled with police in the booking room and that any injuries Colon suffered "resulted from his own intentional and illegal conduct."

Incredible, officer Farrington is still on duty as a Lawrence police officer. This happened in 2006 and officer Farrington has been working for nearly 5 years since this incident took place, he cost the taxpayers $400,000 and still keeps his job?


Link:
http://www.eagletribune.com/latestnews/x353716246/City-settles-brutality-suit