CLEVELAND, Ohio -- A traffic stop abruptly turned violent, according to a federal lawsuit, when Cleveland police officers started punching James Malcolm in the face, demanding to know, "Where's the dope?!"

Malcolm states in his lawsuit that he had committed no crime, was unarmed and was not wanted by authorities when officers Todd Staimpel and Robert Miles pulled him over on Ridge Road on Jan. 25, 2011, and asked for his proof of insurance and driver's license.

About The Series

Northeast Ohio Media Group and The Plain Dealer reviewed the details of nearly 70 lawsuits against Cleveland officers that resulted in taxpayer payouts over the past decade. The lawsuits alleged that officers used excessive force, made wrongful arrests or needlessly escalated violence during encounters with citizens. The city admitted no wrongdoing in settling many of the lawsuits, but taken as a whole, the patterns that emerge from the cases match closely with the patterns of police behavior that were described in the scathing results of a Department of Justice investigation released in December. The city has declined the opportunity to discuss the individual cases in more detail. In response to questions, the city released a statement contending that it seriously considers all allegations of excessive force by officers. This, according to the city, has resulted in a steady annual drop in the number of incidents.

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Staimpel took the license and took a few steps away from the car before quickly returning and attempting to open Malcolm's driver-side door.

When Malcolm asked what the intrusion was about, the lawsuit states, Staimpel punched him in the face and shouted, "Where's the dope? Where's the dope?"

Malcolm leaned away from the window with his hands up and open to show that he was unarmed and posed no threat. He said he didn't know what the officer was talking about and pleaded for him to stop the attack.

Staimpel dragged Malcolm's upper body out of the car window, while Miles came around and began punching Malcolm in the face and body, Malcolm said in a recent interview.

"They just held my arms, punching me in the face," Malcolm said. "Just laughing about it, like it was a game. ... I thought they were going to kill me, for real. I thought that was it. I didn't think they were going to stop."

Malcolm said he heard the sirens of other police vehicles and hoped it meant that someone was coming to his rescue -- but he was wrong.

Other officers arrived and were told that Malcolm was resisting arrest, according to the lawsuit. Malcolm contends that he shouted, "I'm not resisting! I'm not resisting!" to which either Staimpel or Miles responded, "Yes he is. Tase him."

While the instigating officers held Malcolm's arms through the window, Officer Ronald Weber fired his Taser at a close distance into Malcolm's armpit and chest.

With laughter and encouragement from his fellow officers, Weber fired his Taser into James' body three more times, while the officers continued punching him, the lawsuit states.

Malcolm was then pulled from the car, placed face-down on the street and handcuffed. One of the officers told rescue workers that Malcolm was refusing treatment.

The officers' police report told a different story. It stated that the officers had initially pulled over Malcolm for failing to use his turn signal, but Malcolm appeared "nervous" and as one of the officers approached the car, Malcolm appeared to hide something beneath his shirt.

The officers acknowledged in the report and in court filings that they wrestled, punched and shocked Malcolm. But they said the use of force was necessary because Malcolm refused to get out of his car and tried to start the engine to flee.

They also said that Malcolm was verbally abusive to EMS workers, which Malcolm denies.

Officers at the police station determined that Malcolm's condition required medical attention, so he was taken to MetroHealth Medical Center, treated and released back to Cleveland police. Malcolm spent two days in jail and was charged with an improper turn/failure to use turn signal and misdemeanor charges of possession of marijuana and resisting arrest. (See the police report in the document viewer below.)

The case was dismissed within four months.

The Police Department's Office of Professional Standards later ruled that Malcolm's complaint against the officers was "unfounded." (See the OPS letter in the document viewer below.)

The city settled with Malcolm in 2013 for $25,000.