Man pepper-sprayed by police on Northampton City Hall steps in 2017 seeking $700,000 in damages
A man who was pepper-sprayed and dragged off the steps of Northampton City Hall by police officers in August 2017 is seeking $700,000 in damages from the city and several officials.
Eric Matlock, through an attorney, sent a letter to Northampton city officials seeking payment and accusing the citys police department of targeting African-Americans.
Matlock has not filed a civil lawsuit in the matter, and instead, sent what is known as a presentment of claims to the city.
In the letter, his attorney Dana Goldblatt writes, Northampton has a reputation for targeting people of color for aggressive policing and then lying about it," and that the illegal conduct carried out against Matlock was because he is African-American.
Read more: https://www.masslive.com/news/2019/08/homeless-man-pepper-sprayed-by-police-on-northampton-city-hall-steps-in-2017-seeking-700000-in-damages.html