Huntington Beach : Jury Clears Policemen in Their Use of Force
Two Huntington Beach police officers were cleared by a Los Angeles federal court jury last week of charges that they used unnecessary force while arresting a female suspect three years ago.
During a 10-day trial, the eight-member jury found Officers Douglas Tallman and Michael Kelly not guilty of using unreasonable force against Marilyn Dove while responding to a call to break up an altercation between Dove and a female friend in January, 1986.
Dove alleged that she was slammed against the hood of a car, given a bloody nose and arrested without cause. She was charged with battery and resisting arrest.
“When the officers got to the scene, she was in the car and refused to get out,” said Art Folger, deputy city attorney for Huntington Beach. “So they had to force her from the car, but used no more force than called for.”
The case was tried in U.S. District Court, where the plaintiff filed under the federal Civil Rights Act.
No appeal is expected.
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