New Stun-Gun Claim Filed in Huntington Beach

A new $1-million claim has been filed against the City of Huntington Beach, alleging that police jolted a man several times with a stun gun while he was being held in the City Jail after his Oct. 4 arrest.

It was the third claim for the same amount in eight days accusing Huntington Beach police officers of brutality. The guns in question emit an electrical charge to subdue persons resisting arrest.

The latest claim was filed late Tuesday with the city clerk by Kevin L. Reighter, who was arrested on suspicion of being drunk in public after leaving a bar.

Reighter was taken to the City Jail where, he said in his claim, officers lifted his shirt and applied the stun gun to his stomach and chest. He claims he “fell back to the ground” and was “further shocked on his back and neck.”

Reighter alleged in his claim that he was kicked in the right eye and right side and suffered three fractured ribs. He also alleged that he received a deep gash in his chin that required 18 stitches and was charged with resisting arrest even though he was handcuffed “the whole time.”

Marc Block, the Huntington Beach attorney who filed all three claims against the city on behalf of his clients, could not be reached for comment.

Several officers named in Reighter’s claim iwere not allowed to comment because the Police Department anticipates a lawsuit. Under state law, a claim must be filed with a city before the city can be sued.

“It’s not improbable that he might have got zapped with a stun gun if he was kicking and flailing around,” Huntington Beach Police Lt. Jack Reinholtz said. “But lifting their shirt? That would be crazy, because you can do it through a shirt and have the same effect.”

Reinholtz said Reighter never filed a complaint with the police.

“If you’ll notice, these things (claims) all popped up since this Huntington Park incident (in which officers were accused of torturing someone with the Taser gun). We didn’t just start using the stun guns. We’ve had them since summer before last.”