W. Virginia Supreme Court Sides with State Police in Civil Suit Alleging Excessive Force
April 28, 2021
A circuit judge should have dismissed civil claims against West Virginia State Police by a teenager who alleged excessive force when he was beaten during a traffic stop while handcuffed, the state Supreme Court ruled last month.
The high court ruled 3-2 in sending the lawsuit back to Berkeley County Circuit Court. The justices acted on a State Police appeal of a judge’s 2019 denial to dismiss the lawsuit.
The lawsuit alleged State Police should be held responsible for its officers’ actions because the agency was negligent in its training and supervision.