Man files suit over arrest
A Uniontown man has sued the city and three Uniontown police officers in federal court for false arrest. Russell Brooks, of 199 South Mount Vernon Ave., claimed that officers Donald Gmitter, Jonathan Grabiak and Michael Garrow conspired to arrest him on Feb. 23, 2004.
Brooks’ suit claims he did nothing wrong when he called Fayette County 911 to ask state police respond to his city home. But it was during that call that the officers claimed he made the threats that precipitated his arrest.
According to the suit, the officers were investigating what abandoned vehicles were doing partially on Brooks’ property. Since he had filed a complaint with the city about an earlier incident in which he claimed police physically assaulted him at his home, the suit stated Brooks was scared and called 911.
The dispatcher refused to send state police and the suit indicated the Brooks made “what was viewed as a threat to the dispatcher.” The officers arrested him and charged with terroristic threats, disorderly conduct, harassment and public drunkenness.
He was convicted of disorderly conduct at trial, and the other charges were either withdrawn at the preliminary hearing or dismissed at a February 2005 trial.
That conviction is currently under appeal.
The suit stated that the city holds responsibility for the officers and failed to properly train them and “promot(ed) unfounded criminal prosecutions to cover up police misconduct.”