Opinion ID: 2166154
Heading Depth: 2
Heading Rank: 1

Heading: Facts underlying Dunn's claims of false imprisonment and excessive force

Text: The following statement of facts is based on the testimony at trial, viewed in the light most favorable to Dunn. Dunn alleges that on November 7, 1999, he and his wife were asleep in their bed and the sound of neighbors arguing awoke them in the early morning. He looked outside his window and noticed that police cars were outside his condominium complex. Fearing that something had happened to his teenage step-daughter who was spending the night with a friend, he went outside to intercept the police officers. In so doing, he was only half-dressed, wearing sweatpants and flip-flops and a short-sleeved shirt pulled up on his arms but not yet pulled over his head. Upon leaving his condominium, Dunn noticed a police officer, Officer Todd Felty, running up the stairwell toward him. Dunn alleges that he asked Officer Felty if he was there about his step-daughter when, without provocation, Officer Felty lost his composure and pulled the shirt, which Dunn was still in the process of putting on, off of Dunn's arms. At that point, Dunn stated to Officer Felty that he was going back inside and turned to leave, but Officer Felty grabbed Dunn's pants, causing Dunn to lose his balance. Officer Felty then charged Dunn into a wall, pinned him against it, choking him, and struck Dunn on the leg two times with his flashlight. Another officer eventually arrived and assisted Officer Felty in handcuffing Dunn. And two other officers who were at the scene conducted an investigation on the original reason for police dispatch, which was alleged domestic violence in Dunn's condominium called in by a downstairs neighbor. Officer Felty placed Dunn under arrest. Dunn remained in custody until the early evening of November 7, 1999, when he was released on bail. His arraignment occurred the following day, November 8, 1999. As a result of Officer Felty's use of force in the arrest, Dunn stated that he experienced pain in his wrists because the handcuffs were too tight, extensive bruising on his thigh from the flashlight strikes and pain in his neck.