Reprinted with permission from the Times Union
HUDSON – A Hudson woman has filed a federal civil rights lawsuit, claiming officers beat her while she tried to film them arresting people.
Tiffany Damon, says Chief Edward Moore and another officer injured her as she attempted to film a crowd outside the police station last February.
That officer, Sergeant Randy Clark, is no longer employed by the department. Chief Moore declined to comment Thursday, March 29, because he hadn’t seen the lawsuit. The suit also names several unidentified Hudson police officers who allegedly witnessed the incident.
According to court documents and Ms. Damon’s attorney the incident started after officers made several drug arrests on February 23, 2017. People who knew the suspects gathered outside the police station, including Ms. Damon, who began to film the crowd.
At some point police began to engage with the crowd and at least one man was hit with a stun gun and arrested. The lawsuit says Mr. Clark was the officer who used the stun gun but doesn’t lay out what lead him to use it.
As Ms. Damon tried to film the man’s arrest, Mr. Clark saw her and shoved to her the ground, injuring her, according to the court documents.
The lawsuit notes that Ms. Damon is 4-foot-11 and weighs around 120 pounds.
Shortly after Mr. Clark shoved her, the lawsuit says Chief Moore picked her up and slammed her to ground. Meanwhile officers allegedly seized her phone for evidence before returning it several hours later.
According to the lawsuit, Ms. Damon suffered bruises and a torn meniscus in her left knee.
Six weeks later a warrant was issued for her arrest on one count of obstructing government administration, a misdemeanor. The warrant says Ms. Damon physically interfered with the officers as she tried to film their actions.
The obstruction charge is still pending, according to court documents.
Ms. Damon is seeking unspecified damages as well as court and attorney fees.
