HALFMOON — A Halfmoon man is alleging in a federal lawsuit that two Saratoga County sheriff’s deputies and state trooper violated his Fourth and 14th Amendment rights.
In documents filed Tuesday in the U.S. District Court in the Northern District of New York, Ryan Morrison, through his attorney James C. Knox of E. Stewart Jones Hacker Murphy, alleges that Sheriff’s Deputies Alexander Roney and Paul Pecor, along with Trooper Michael Strain, violated his rights when they allegedly used excessive force to arrest him.
According to court documents, on June 17, 2022 at 5:26 p.m., Strain and Roney went to Morrison’s residence at North Point Apartments in response to a third-party report of an alleged domestic violence incident.
While the officers were returning to Morrison’s apartment with a key to get into the residence, they came into contact with Morrison. Morrison alleges he was told to remain with Roney on the ground level of his apartment building while Strain entered his apartment. Morrison followed Strain up to his residence and entered inside with Strain, Roney right behind him. Morrison alleges that when he told the officers to leave and wouldn’t answer their questions they used excessive force to arrest him unlawfully.
“In the course of effectuating such arrest, defendants trooper Strain and sheriff deputy Roney slammed plaintiff bodily to the ground causing his left shoulder to be traumatically injured and fractured,” court documents state.
Morrison further claims that while he was subdued Pecor “forcefully stomped” on his left foot and ankle, causing “substantial pain and injury.”
Morrison said he was not resisting arrest. He was transported to Samaritan Hospital in Troy where he was also observed as having extreme pain in his left shoulder, according to court documents. He was diagnosed with acute displaced and angulated fracture of the midshaft of the left clavicle. He also suffered bruising and scrapes, left foot and ankle pain, loss of motion, on top of psychological and emotional trauma and economic losses, according to the documents.
“As a direct and proximate result of defendants’ use of unnecessary and excessive force, plaintiff was caused to incur personal and permanent injuries, loss of use and motion, loss of enjoyment of life, pain and suffering, medical expenses and lost wages,” the court documents state.
Charges against Morrison were adjourned in contemplation of dismissal. The term contemplation of dismissal means charges would be dismissed if a defendant stays out of trouble, typically six months.
“Defendants knowingly filed these charges against plaintiff without probable cause and with the intent to justify their use of excessive force upon plaintiff and their unlawful arrest and imprisonment of plaintiff,” the lawsuit states.
Morrison is seeking a jury trial with the hope of being awarded damages for his injuries.
Saratoga County Public Relation Director said the county doesn’t comment on pending litigation.
“It’s not appropriate for us to comment on pending litigation,” said William Duffy, the director of public information for the state police.
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Categories: Clifton Park and Halfmoon, News, News, Saratoga County
