Man alleges in federal lawsuit city police assaulted, struck him with flashlight
By Jonathan Greene
Published: June 16, 2015
A city man has filed a federal lawsuit alleging city police officers accosted and assaulted him, according to court documents.
Mohammed Abdelaziz alleges that on January 6, 2014 he was approached by several police officers. Those officers hit him “about the head and body with a flashlight and another object,” his lawsuit filed on June 11 states.
Abdelaziz sustained bruises to his body and laceration to his head, according to court documents.
Abdelaziz was then arrested and “falsely charged with several crimes.” The charges police filed against him were later “terminated” in his favor, the lawsuit states.
The lawsuit states Abdelaziz was subjected to illegal search and seizure without his consent. Police also allegedly did not have probable cause to stop Abdelaziz, the suit reads.
A subsequent Internal Affairs complaint by Abdelaziz did not receive a response, according to the suit. “It is clear that the Paterson Police Department failed to investigate the internal affairs complaint,” the complaint reads.
The lawsuit is seeking punitive damages, attorney fees, and injunctive relief from the court to contain “its [police department’s] pattern and practice of violating citizens’ civil rights,” the suit states.