Wheeling faces lawsuit over police brutality

WHEELING -- The city of Wheeling and two of its police officers have been named as defendants in a federal lawsuit following an incident of alleged police brutality.

In a suit filed July 8, Jeffrey and Brady McConnell, a father and son, claim Brady was brutalized by Officers Will Ward and Jeffrey Griffith after two people were seen breaking into vehicles. Brady, who happened to be in the alley way, was tackled and hit by Griffith.

Brady, who claims he simply was in the wrong place at the wrong time, was arrested and says his jaw was broken in several places.

According to the suit, filed by Kevin Neiswonger of the Moundsville firm of Neiswonger and White, Wheeling had notice of Griffith and Ward's tendency toward intemperance, use of excessive force, and violence, and did nothing. Brady sustained emotional and physical trauma, embarrassment, humiliation, aggravation, inconvenience, damage to his repuation, and medical expenses.

Filed in the United States District Court for the Northern District of West Virginia, the suit states that the McConnells are seeking a trial by jury to award monetary relief for negligent retention and hiring, defamation, battery, emotional distress, and false arrest.