‘Live PD’ footage might figure in lawsuit

Crews from LivePD, a new reality show from A&E, patrol with members of the Bridgeport Police Department in Bridgeport, Conn. on Thursday Nov. 3, 2016. Crews from LivePD, a new reality show from A&E, patrol with members of the Bridgeport Police Department in Bridgeport, Conn. on Thursday Nov. 3, 2016. Photo: Christian Abraham / Hearst Connecticut Media Buy photo Photo: Christian Abraham / Hearst Connecticut Media Image 1 of / 14 Caption Close ‘Live PD’ footage might figure in lawsuit 1 / 14 Back to Gallery

BRIDGEPORT — A decision last year by the mayor and police chief to allow a national television company to show live footage of the city’s police officers at work might end up costing the city.

Local lawyer Robert Berke on Thursday filed his second federal brutality lawsuit against city police officers over an incident involving a client who was shown on A&E’s show “Live PD.”

In September 2016, Mayor Joe Ganim and Chief Armando Perez signed an agreement with a local A&E producer to allow cameras to follow officers as they investigated cases and made arrests. Bridgeport police activity was shown live during the program, along with footage from about a half-dozen police departments around the country.

But recently, Bridgeport Police Sgt. Stacey Lyons received a written reprimand for an incident last November when she was charged with breaking into her former boyfriend’s Trumbull home just hours after she was featured on “Live PD” warning of the dangers of domestic violence.

In May, Burke filed a federal civil rights lawsuit against several city police officers on behalf of a man who claims police shot up his car and beat him up over less than an ounce of marijuana. Part of the incident was featured on “Live PD.”

“The reality is that the video from this program may end up as evidence in these cases,” Berke said. “The city chose to participate in this program.”

The city decided to end its participation in late December, following complaints from business owners and officials from the University of Bridgeport that the program cast the city in a negative light.

Av Harris, the spokesman for Ganim, declined to comment on the specifics of Berke’s latest lawsuit,“Other than to say that we stand behind the actions of our officers to de-escalate what was a very dangerous situation.”

“The men and women who put on the uniform of the Bridgeport Police department face life-threatening situations every day, sometimes at a moment’s notice,” Harris said. “Bridgeport police officers do a very challenging job and routinely carry out their duties with professionalism and bravery.”

Ernesto Castro, Berke’s client in the latest suit, claims that seven city police officers threw him on the ground and began beating him in the face, torso and back in his Madison Avenue home on Nov. 18, 2016. The lawsuit claims Castro unjustly suffered facial contusions and lacerations, loose teeth, a broken nose, fractured vertebra resulting in the loss of full range of motion and emotional distress.

The television program showed Castro sitting handcuffed on the front porch of the home, is face and hands covered in blood. Police said they were dispatched to the home on a report of a domestic violence incident.

Officers approached Castro with firearms drawn and saw the gun sticking out of his waistband, according to the police report. They ordered him to show his hands and get onto the floor but he ignored their commands, police said. As officers grabbed at him to handcuff him, Castro fought back, kicking one officer in the groin and grabbing the holstered gun of another, the police report states.

Officers then began punching Castro in the torso and face, according to the report. At one point during the struggle, the report states, Castro grabbed an officer’s holstered gun and pulled up so hard on it that it momentarily lifted the officer off the ground.

At that point, the report states, Sgt. Paul Scillia yelled, “Gun, gun, gun,” as a pistol fell out of Catsro’s waistband and landed by his feet. An officer was able to grab the gun, which was later determined to be a Glock replica pellet gun, police said.

The report said that after officers finally handcuffed him, Castro was charged with two counts of assault on a police officer, and one count each of interfering with police, disorderly conduct and carrying a dangerous weapon.

Castro’s father-in-law King Meekins, who called the police, disputes the police account.

“He came out a (expletive) bloody mess and that was uncalled for,” Meekins said following Castro’s arrest.

Castro pleaded guilty to a single count of second-degree assault and is awaiting sentencing.