Paradise Police Face $1.5 Million Brutality Lawsuit

By Evan Mix

Published on June 03, 2009

A resident of Paradise, California is seeking $1.5 million in a federal civil rights lawsuit against the city and its police department. Harold Funk, 50, was arrested by two officers responding to a call about graffiti vandalism. He was charged with resisting arrest after the incident, but was later acquitted.

According to Funk's lawsuit, the officers violently attacked him, breaking his left elbow during the arrest without determining whether he was connected with the graffiti complaint. Afterward, they allegedly falsified reports to show that Funk resisted arrest. The lawsuit accuses the town and its police chief of implicitly condoning the use of excessive force by failing to provide adequate training for police officers.

Funk previously sought compensation from the Paradise Town Council, but the claim was rejected. The FBI has also investigated the incident after a similar but separate complaint was filed against the two arresting officers. The investigation ultimately cleared them of wrongdoing.

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