Man sues New Haven police, claiming raid on his home was at wrong address Claims officers targeted wrong address

NEW HAVEN >> A man is claiming police mistakenly raided his home and tied him up for hours last year, when they were actually looking for his neighbor.

In his federal lawsuit, Joseph Adams of Peck Street also alleges city police officers mocked him for being gay, physically injured him and caused extensive damage to his apartment.

The lawsuit, filed in U.S. District Court, names the city of New Haven, the Police Department, police Chief Dean Esserman and unnamed police officers as defendants.

Attorney Max Rosenberg of Stratford, who represents Adams, said Tuesday his client’s civil rights were violated.

“After police ran into the wrong unit and left it in shambles, they made fun of my client for being a homosexual,” Rosenberg said. “They were imitating him and his mannerisms and mocking him. He was tied up with zip ties for over two hours.”

According to Rosenberg, during the raid, police used flash bombs in Adams’ apartment, which caused burning to rugs, blankets and the ceiling, and damaged the plumbing. Police also knocked doors off hinges, he said.

Police made an offer to fix the damage the next day, but never made good on the offer, Rosenberg said.

Police Tuesday deferred comment to the city corporation counsel’s office. Attorney Michael Wolak of the city’s corporation counsel’s office is representing the city and other defendants in court on this matter, but his office deferred comment to city spokesman Laurence Grotheer.

On Tuesday, Grotheer released a statement saying, “City officials are aware this lawsuit was filed and will respond accordingly at the appropriate time.”

According to the lawsuit, Adams was in his bedroom watching television in his Peck Street apartment on Oct. 21, 2013, when he heard a loud noise at about 11:59 p.m.

Adams looked over a railing and “saw two gun barrels.” Believing he was being robbed, he ran toward his bedroom, then heard police yell, “New Haven police, come the (expletive) down!” the lawsuit states.

Adams then walked downstairs with his hands behind his head, and when he reached the bottom, three people picked him up and threw him violently on the ground, causing him pain on the right side of his neck, the lawsuit says. Police put his hands behind his back, then zip-tied them tightly, the lawsuit alleges.

While Adams was tied up on the floor, he could see his carpet and sofa burning from a flash bomb police had thrown. He heard police use additional flash bombs and heard officers kicking in doors around the apartment, according to the lawsuit.

Police asked him “Where is he?” and Adams continued to tell them he didn’t know what they were talking about and he was alone in the apartment. Later, someone on a megaphone outside told all residents to exit their apartments, the lawsuit says.

After Adams had been detained for about 2½ hours, he was cut free. The removal of the straps was painful, as police had to make the straps tighter to remove them, the lawsuit says.

“Mr. Adams saw one officer outside, in his direct view, effeminately imitating a homosexual person and prancing about,” the lawsuit states. “It was apparent to Mr. Adams that the officer was mocking (him) as a gay man.”

His client was never charged or incarcerated, according to Rosenberg.

The lawsuit seeks compensatory and punitive damages for false arrest, false imprisonment, excessive force, negligent and intentional infliction of emotional distress, and negligence. It alleges Adams suffered both physical and emotional injuries.

“I’d like to see him get millions for what happened to him,” Rosenberg said.

According to Rosenberg, his client’s neighbor Bobby Griffin Jr. ultimately was arrested.

When asked about the intended target of their raid, police deferred comment, and Grotheer said he couldn’t comment.

State judicial branch records show Griffin, who lived in the same Peck Street apartment building, faces multiple charges, including murder, robbery and weapons violations, in the Oct. 14, 2013 slaying of Nathaniel Bradley in New Haven. The charges are pending in Superior Court in New Haven. Griffin has been incarcerated since Oct. 21, 2013, according to the state Department of Correction.