A Meriden Ct. man has
filed suit against several Meriden police officers accusing one officer of police
brutality.
In the lawsuit, Joey Bryans claims he was
beaten by Officer Evan Cossette outside Midstate Medical Center on January 23,
2011.
Bryans said he was at the hospital being
treated for a cut on his hand he received while celebrating his 30th birthday.
He stepped outside the hospital to smoke a cigarette.
According to the lawsuit, nursing personnel
alerted security that Bryans had left the building and needed to be restrained
and returned to the hospital.
Cossette and another officer, Mark Nowak, were
at the hospital on a different call, but went to the parking lot to help bring
Bryans back inside, the lawsuit claims.
A surveillance video from the hospital shows
Bryans on the ground with the two officer over him. Bryans claims Cossette
punched him several times and used a stun gun on him twice.
Cossette said Bryans was aggressive and out of
control.
The lawsuit also names Meriden Police Chief
Jeffry Cossette, Timothy Topulos, Leonard Caponigro, Glen Milslagle, the City
of Meriden and Midstate Medical Center as defendants. Jeffry Cossette is Even
Cossette's father.
Evan Cossette was accused in the past of
beating a suspect inside a holding cell. He was disciplined for that incident,
but the department said and internal investigation cleared Cossette on other
brutality charges, including the case involving Bryans.