Opinion ID: 783516
Heading Depth: 3
Heading Rank: 2

Heading: Defendants Officers' Version

Text: 11 In stark contrast, Pedersen depicts himself as a conscientious police officer, dutifully doing his job even when off-duty. At about the time the DiSorbo sisters arrived at the Union Inn Bar, Pedersen was resting at home during his evening off. After awaking at approximately 2:30 a.m. and unable to fall back to sleep, Pedersen decided to go to the Union Inn Bar where his brother, Roy Pedersen, worked as a doorman. While socializing with a friend at the bar, Pedersen noticed Rebecca DiSorbo, who he says he suspected to be underage, stumble on a step in a manner that suggested intoxication. Following what he stated was his obligation to act whenever he witnesses a possible violation of the law, even if technically off-duty, Pedersen approached Rebecca DiSorbo and requested identification. Rebecca DiSorbo's response, according to Pedersen, was one of irrational fury. Rebecca DiSorbo not only refused to comply with his request for proof of age, but also launched a profanity-ridden tirade toward him. Pedersen maintains that he identified himself as a police officer and made a second request for identification, but Rebecca DiSorbo continued to curse at him and refused to produce identification. 12 At this point, Pedersen went to his brother, Roy Pedersen, for assistance in handling the situation. Pedersen explains that Rebecca DiSorbo complied with his brother's request for identification, but in the process continued to shout vulgarities toward him and even reached around Roy Pedersen to strike him. Pedersen contends that he once again informed Rebecca DiSorbo that he was a police officer, and told her that if she continued to behave in this manner, she would be arrested. After Rebecca DiSorbo refused to calm down and tried to strike him again, Pedersen arrested her for harassment in the second degree. 4 Pedersen recalls that when he informed Rebecca DiSorbo that she was under arrest, she attempted to punch him, forcing him to take her arm, twist it behind her back, and escort her out of the bar. Outside the bar, a police vehicle with Hoy and Hill awaited. According to Hoy, Jessica DiSorbo, who had exited the bar at this point, screamed obscenities and threw a beer mug at him and Hill, which missed the officers and exploded on the curb. Because of this act, Hill arrested Jessica DiSorbo, requiring Hoy's assistance in handcuffing her because she was resisting. The DiSorbo sisters were placed in the police car and driven to the station by Hoy and Hill. Throughout the trip, Hoy recalls that Rebecca DiSorbo screamed obscenities and repeatedly banged her head on the driver's side window, causing a loud sound when her head impacted the glass. 13 Upon arriving at the station, Hoy first led Jessica DiSorbo through the garage into the doorway of the station. Hoy claims that Jessica DiSorbo was extremely uncooperative as they walked toward the entry door, continuously kicking him as they walked in the sallyport area and forcefully doing exactly the opposite of what he told her. Because of her refusal to follow his instructions, Hoy stated that he had no choice but to resort to physical force to direct her through the sallyport area. While Hoy admits that he pulled Jessica DiSorbo toward the door, Hoy maintains that he merely was trying to position her so that she would go through the door and that Jessica DiSorbo never made contact with the door area. Hill, who followed them as they entered the station, claims that he did not hear any sound indicating that Jessica DiSorbo hit the door area. 14 Hoy also admits that he bent Jessica DiSorbo forward as he moved her through the station's hallway, but justifies this come-along move as a defense tactic which officers are taught as a method of moving prisoners, handcuffed people, to comply with your direction. Hoy claims that when Jessica DiSorbo tried to kick him again, he placed her on the floor and sat on her leg. Hoy then picked her up, and brought her into the holding cage and handcuffed her to the cell. 15 Pedersen's version of the events at the station also differs from that of Rebecca DiSorbo. After he arrived at the station in a separate vehicle, Pedersen passed Hill and Rebecca DiSorbo in the station's hallway, at which point, Pedersen states, she kicked him. Hill and Pedersen then physically restrained Rebecca DiSorbo by pinning her down across a sink, and, to use Officer Pedersen's words, for whatever reason she fell onto the floor. Pedersen maintains that he never punched or kicked Rebecca DiSorbo as they restrained her on the sink. Pedersen further denies ever choking Rebecca DiSorbo, and claims he never laid a hand on her during the period where they are not visible on the surveillance videotape. Pedersen explains, however, that he and Hill needed to use force on Rebecca DiSorbo in the booking room, because she was violent and combative and needed to be physically restrained. Hill maintains that, while he fully appreciated his duty to intervene when another officer engages in excessive force, he never witnessed Pedersen use excessive force on Rebecca DiSorbo.