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Published: November 14, 2012
Updated: November 14, 2012 - 3:26 PM
The family of a Connecticut man who died 16 hours after his arrest by Westerly police is suing the town, its former police chief, three officers and other unnamed town employees.
Ryan O'Loughlin, 34, of Mystic, died in June 2011. A Connecticut medical examiner ruled his death a homicide as the result of blunt abdominal trauma.
On June 8, 2011, O'Loughlin got into a physical confrontation with police officers who were attempting to arrest another man for allegedly vandalizing property at the Perks and Corks wine and coffee bar on High Street.
According to the lawsuit, O'Loughlin was pepper-sprayed, struck with a baton and forcibly taken down and arrested.
O'Loughlin was charged with disorderly conduct and resisting arrest and was released on bond. After returning home, he was taken to a hospital, where he died that afternoon.
At the time of the incident, former Police Chief Edward Mello quickly defended the officers involved -- Sgt. David Turano, Officer Terence Malaghan and Officer Greg Barna -- claiming it was not excessive force. Mello and the officers are defendants in the lawsuit.
The lawsuit filed last week in U.S. District Court in Rhode Island by O'Loughlin's wife and parents alleges that unreasonable and excessive force was used. The lawsuit seeks unspecified monetary damages.
Westerly Town Manager Steven Hartford released a statement in response to the lawsuit.
"These assertions and allegations have already been made and thoroughly reviewed by the State Police, the Attorney General, the FBI and the U.S. Attorney's office and each and every time the officers' actions were deemed to be justified. I understand that this determination is hard for the O'Loughlin family to accept but a civil lawsuit is not going to change the facts," Hartford said.
A statewide grand jury cleared the police officers involved of criminal wrongdoing.
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