An Atlanta Hawks player sued the New York police department and the city Wednesday over an alleged wrongful arrest last year during a police brawl outside a nightclub in Manhattan. The incident left him injured with a broken leg that ended his NBA season
Thabo Sefolosha, Atlanta Hawks guard-forward was arrested last year in April outside a Manhattan nightclub, 10ak, according to ABC News. Authorities said Sefolosha allegedly disobeyed orders to clear the street after another NBA player, Chris Copeland, was stabbed outside the said nightclub.
The 31-year old basketball star stated on his complaint that a police officer thrown him down to the ground and arrested him after he called him "a midget". Sefolosha told the court that he left the block according to the law enforcer. However at that time, he tried to reach out a beggar with a $20 bill when he was grabbed by the officers and taken to the ground.
He claims, the police "attacked and jumped" onto him and even hit him with a baton while he was being arrested. Sefolosha said his leg was injured during the arrest in the ensuing struggle, Salon reported. The said injury caused him to miss the rest of the regular season playoffs.
In October, the Swiss national was acquitted of misdemeanor criminal charges. His lawsuit, filed in federal court in Manhattan, alleges the NYPD officers arrested him "without cause and filed a false report." He is seeking unspecified damages from the city and five named police officers.
The Yahoo News reported, Sefolosha has been an NBA veteran for 10 years. He has appeared in 71 games this season for the third-seeded Atlanta Hawks, averaging 6.6 points, 4.5, rebounds, and 1.4 assists in 23.4 minutes.
A spokesman for the city's law department said the office would review Sefolosha's allegations once it formally receives a copy of the suit.
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