Courtroom gavel

Eight Williamsport Bureau of Police are named in a federal lawsuit filed by a city man asserting his constitutional rights were violated and he was a victim of excessive use of force during an incident two years ago that began at his home.

In an amended complaint with the U.S. Middle District Court, Earl Sampson has a complaint against Officers Nicholas Carrita, Richard Hofford, William Badger, Gino Caschera, Nikita Bonnell, Brandon Wheeler, Andrew Stevens, Brian McGee and Williamsport area law enforcement officers John/Jane Doe one and two.

A jury trial was requested.

An original complaint could not be served because there were only fictional-named defendants. Sampson now complains against the above-listed police officers in their individual capacities.

The action is for money and damages. It is alleged that the police officers violated Sampson’s 14th Amendment rights by allegedly illegally seizing and arresting him and by initiating a violent, unnecessary, unjustified, and excessive use of force on him, according to O’Hanlon Schwartz, Sampson’s counsel.

The case stems from an incident on May 12, 2021, when Sampson was on the porch of his residence. His daughter, Kristina Sampson, had an ex-boyfriend, Kevin Brown, who was near the home and was causing a disturbance, being verbally threatening to Sampson and his daughter, the claim states.

Police officers were initially present in the early afternoon that day and Earl Sampson asked that Brown be removed from the area near his property because Brown did not live at the property and Brown had been violent and threatened violence toward Kristina Sampson in the past, the claim states.

Earl Sampson also believed that Brown was under the influence of “angel dust” or PCP and he believed that he was on probation, the claim states.

Despite Earl Sampson’s request, police officers apparently did not act and left the area, according to the complaint.

After police left, Brown continued to act in a threatening manner and approached Sampson’s porch without permission, the complaint states.

The plaintiff called the police but the police did not initially respond, according to the document.

Brown, however, continued to be threatening and approached Sampson’s porch again and Sampson called for the police. Brown then attacked Sampson and knocked his phone from his hand, the complaint states.

The officers arrived at the scene and despite Sampson’s neighbors telling the officers several times that Brown had initiated all of the disturbance, and that Sampson had not stabbed Brown, as allegedly claimed, each of the defendants, acted together blamed Sampson before he could explain that he had called police and had done nothing wrong, the claim states.

Without warning, police allegedly came at Sampson from the rear and side, grabbed his arm, lifted his arm high above his head and threw him to the ground, slamming his face and head to the ground, the complaint states.

The officers then used a Taser twice, including on Sampson’s groin area, according to the complaint.

Sampson contends he obeyed the commands given to him by the officers. Further, Sampson contends he did not engage in any behavior which could have been considered a threat to any of the officers, the suit states. Sampson was not in possession of any weapons nor were any recovered by police from Sampson.

Sampson asserts he suffered a rotary cuff tear to his shoulder and injury to his groin area as a result of the officers’ actions, according to the complaint.

Sampson was placed under arrest despite numerous neighbors telling officers that Sampson had done nothing wrong, was not in possession of a weapon and did not stab Brown, the complaint states.

Sampson was handcuffed and put in a secure police vehicle. He was taken to the police station where he was photographed and fingerprinted. The body cam footage and consultation with a prosecutor resulted in Sampson being released without charge having spent two hours in police custody, the complaint states.

Sampson was subsequently treated at a hospital and underwent rehab for his shoulder, which continues to cause him pain, the complaint states. He contends his fourth and 14th amendment rights were violated. They are illegal seizure and false arrest and excessive use of force.

Through Attorney Stephen T. O’Hanlon of Philadelphia, Sampson is requesting a trial and a judge to award compensatory damages, costs of the action, reasonable attorneys’ fees, punitive damages and any other relief the court deems appropriate.