Wantage man receives settlement
By Nathan Mayberg
TRENTON — A man who claimed he suffered broken ribs after being beaten by state police in his front yard in 2009, settled a lawsuit with the state for $75,000.
The New Jersey Attorney General's Office settled the suit with Raul Sanchez, who accused four state troopers of beating him while he was handcuffed on his own property.
Sanchez, who was 57 at the time of the incident on Nov. 21, 2009, claimed he was assaulted by police who emerged in front of his home after midnight.
State police were responding to a call that there was a man with a gun who had walked into a nearby bar, said his attorney Jeffrey Patti.
The suit named the four state troopers as Steven Deckert, Armando Rivas, Michael England and Timothy Praschil.
The troopers allegedly yelled out to Sanchez to get on the ground after approaching him with flashlights.
They allegedly threw him to the ground, handcuffed him and asked "Where's the gun?" according to the complaint by Sanchez.
After Sanchez told them he did not have a gun, he claimed that troopers kicked him on his back and sides and stuck him with their flashlights.
After asking him where the gun was, Sanchez said state police beat him with their flashlights.
They asked him for his car keys to search his cars without a warrant but did not find a gun, according to the complaint.
Patti was ultimately let go and not charged after the search, Patti stated.
Patti said his client was "spitting up blood" and had bruises all over his body after the incident.
Sanchez was not offered any medical assistance by the troopers, Patti said.
That morning, he entered himself into Saint Clare's Hospital in Sussex for treatment of his injuries.
He suffered three broken ribs and a bruised spleen, Patti said.
The $75,000 settlement will be paid out of the state's general fund, Patti said.
Patti described the actions of the troopers as "unjustified and unlawful aggression" against his client.
"Their actions were an unlawful and excessive use of force and unlawful search and seizure of plaintiff's property and person," Patti stated in the complaint.
He described the actions as "violative of standard police practice and procedure."
"As long as New Jersey State Police continue to retain or hire troopers who beat people, the taxpayers are going to be on the hook," Patti said.
State Attorney General's Office spokesman Leland Moore declined to comment on the settlement.
Reporter Nathan Mayberg can be reached at comm.reporter@strausnews.com or by calling 845-469-9000 ext. 359