MONTPELIER, Vt. (AP) — The Vermont chapter of the American Civil Liberties Union is suing the town of Hartford over what it says is the town's refusal to release records relating to an incident in which police dragged an African-American man from his home in handcuffs.
The Valley News reported shortly after the May 29 incident that Wayne Burwell was suffering from a medical condition when police got a call about a possible burglary at his house. The paper says police went there, pepper-sprayed Burwell, hit him with a night stick, handcuffed him, wrapped his naked body in a blanket and dragged him outside.
Journalist Anne Galloway of the website Vermont Digger asked the town for records of the encounter and was refused. Now the ACLU is suing on her behalf.
Copyright 2010 The Associated Press.
The Valley News reported shortly after the May 29 incident that Wayne Burwell was suffering from a medical condition when police got a call about a possible burglary at his house. The paper says police went there, pepper-sprayed Burwell, hit him with a night stick, handcuffed him, wrapped his naked body in a blanket and dragged him outside.
Journalist Anne Galloway of the website Vermont Digger asked the town for records of the encounter and was refused. Now the ACLU is suing on her behalf.
Copyright 2010 The Associated Press.
