Lawsuit dismissed
A federal judge officially dismissed a lawsuit filed against the city of Uniontown and three of its police officers on Monday. U.S. District Judge David Cercone affirmed an earlier recommendation by a magistrate judge who indicated that Russell Brooks of Uniontown, who filed to suit two years ago, did not have his civil rights violated.
Brooks claimed officers Donald Gmitter, Jonathan Grabiak and Michael Garrow conspired to arrest him on Feb. 23, 2004. The suit claimed he called 911 when police came to his home on Mount Vernon Avenue on a complaint that did not involve him.
Brooks was charged with terroristic threats and disorderly conduct after he allegedly made a remark to a dispatcher about having someone come to his home with a gun to protect him from police.
While Brooks maintained that he meant state police, he never specified that to the dispatcher.
Brooks claimed that police arrested him, and then falsely charged him.
But Federal Magistrate Lisa Pupo Lenihan found that there was cause to arrest Brooks, and recommended that his lawsuit be dismissed.
Brooks had 10 days to object to the recommendation, and failed to do so.
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