In a lawsuit filed last week, a 76-year-old legally deaf and disabled women alleges officers violently arrested, kneed and handcuffed her to the point of passing out, all for jaywalking.

The incident took place in July of 2017 in the city of Dublin, California, and the lawsuit names four officers of Dublin PD and Alameda County as defendants: Sherriff Gregory J. Ahern, Lieutenant Robert McGrory, Dublin Police Chief Dennis Houghtelling and Traffic Officer Phillip Corvello.

On the morning of July 27, 2017, the plaintiff Hui Jie Jin was detained by Officer Corvello as she crossed the street while returning from the grocery store. Officer Corvello accused Jin of jaywalking. The lawsuit claims Corvello recognized Jin was deaf but grew frustrated with her inability to understand him and communicate with her hand signals.

Jin did not resist arrest and yet “Corvello, a man 2-3 times Mrs. Jin’s size and half her age, violently threw Mrs. Jin to the ground, placed his foot or knee on her back, and cuffed her hands behind her back so tightly that she passed out from the pain. In addition, Officer Corvello unnecessarily re-cuffed Mrs. Jin to the ambulance while she was unconscious, and for no apparent reason, sadistically crushed Mrs. Jin’s left wrist to the bone,” according to court papers.

Jin did not understand why she was being detained and although she was “terrified” she never attempted to flee and turned over her identification cards, a disabled senior citizen bus pass, and a note and phone number to call her daughter in cases of emergencies.

After turning over her belongings, “Jin clasped her hands together in prayer and repeatedly bowed deeply in front of Officer Corvello in order to beg Officer Corvello for mercy and not to hurt her.” Instead, that’s when Officer Corvello twisted her arm behind her back, slammed her to the ground, placed a knee or foot on her back and handcuffed her arms behind her back. The pain then caused Jin to pass out.

Officer Corvello called an ambulance, but the lawsuit alleges “they did not stop brutalizing Mrs. Jin.” Officers cuffed her to the ambulance gurney despite being unconscious and then Officer Corvello “sadistically crushed Mrs. Jin’s left wrist to the bone, causing severe injuries.”

The lawsuit maintains that Jin was unlawfully arrested, but even if the arrest were legitimate, the use of force was “completely unreasonable.” The official citation served Jin was for failure to complete crossing the street before the DON’T WALK or WAIT signal and for resisting arrest.

A listing of medical injuries Jin sustained due to the arrest include: “blunt force injuries, including but not limited to contusions, abrasions, avulsions to her body, multiple crushing fractures of her hands and fingers, and head trauma that required immediate hospitalization, continuing medical treatment and long-term care.” Also listed was permanent brain damage, sleep disorders, depression, stress-related issues and more.

The officers face eight counts including violating the Americans With Disabilities Act, deprivation of civil rights, and assault and battery.

 

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