On April 20, Kaplan Hecker & Fink filed a brief in the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Second Circuit on behalf of Melvin Washington, a man who was brutally attacked by three assailants at a local Connecticut hospital in 2019.
Mr. Washington sued two police officers who arrived on the scene for violating his Fourth Amendment rights. The District Court denied the officers’ motion for summary judgment, concluding that the officers were not entitled to qualified immunity on Mr. Washington’s claims for false arrest, malicious prosecution, unlawful search and seizure, and excessive force.
The officers appealed the District Court’s ruling, and the Second Circuit appointed partner Ray Tolentino – who serves as a member of the Second Circuit’s Pro Bono Panel – to represent Mr. Washington in the appeal.
The filing, which can be read in full here, reflects the firm’s commitment to fighting for justice and accountability for individuals who suffer abuse at the hands of government officials.