Man who was punched, kicked by Georgia officers settles suit

ATLANTA (AP) — A person who was punched and kicked within the head by two Atlanta-area cops throughout a visitors cease almost 5 years in the past has reached a settlement with the county that employed them, his legal professionals stated Tuesday.

Demetrius Hollins filed a federal lawsuit in September alleging that the cease was unjustified and that the Gwinnett County officers used extreme drive. The county Board of Commissioners permitted the $400,000 settlement on Jan. 4, in accordance with a gathering agenda and video on the county’s web site.

Hollins’ attorneys, L. Chris Stewart and Justin Miller, stated in an emailed assertion that the settlement “represents the ultimate chapter within the quest for justice for Mr. Hollins.”

Hollins stated throughout a information convention in September that he nonetheless has “some form of PTSD from this case.”

Hollins, who was 22 on the time, was stopped in Lawrenceville, simply exterior Atlanta, by Gwinnett County police Sgt. Michael Bongiovanni on April 12, 2017. Video filmed by a witness reveals Bongiovanni punching Hollins as Hollins stands together with his arms raised after exiting his automotive. A second video reveals Bongiovanni showing to yell at a handcuffed Hollins, who then lies face-down in a left-turn lane of a busy intersection. Officer Robert McDonald runs up and instantly seems to stomp on Hollins’ head.

Each officers had been fired the subsequent day after video of the visitors cease surfaced. They had been subsequently charged with a number of crimes associated to the cease.

Bongiovanni pleaded no contest in June 2019 to aggravated assault and battery and was sentenced to 6 months in a work-release program and 10 years probation. A jury in February 2020 discovered McDonald responsible of aggravated assault, battery and violating his oath of workplace, and he was sentenced to 10 years probation.