Deangelo Bowman wins $325,000 verdict after Flint police used excessive force

Deangelo Bowman woke up to the sensation of being pulled out of his car and attacked by Flint police officers. Flint police officers Terry VanKeuren Jr. and Noah Pillsbury found Deangelo’s parked car next to the road. He only woke up when they pulled him out of the car and smashed his head against the pillar beside the car door.

Over the next several minutes they threw him to the ground, punched him, kicked him, tasered him and pepper sprayed him. They claimed he was resisting arrest, but the only thing they claimed he did was tense up and fail to follow commands while being attacked. It took six officers more than eight minutes to put handcuffs on him, and even afterwards they continued punching, tasering and pepper spraying him.

The attack left Deangelo with permanent physical and psychological scars. After his arrest, he was taken to Hurley Medical Center, where doctors found a fractured nasal bone, swelling around both eyes and facial bruising. His right eye was so swollen that he needed help opening it.

He was released shortly afterwards without being charged with any crime. After dealing with ongoing pain and mental stress for 14 months, Deangelo filed a civil rights lawsuit against the City of Flint and the two officers with the help of Michigan Legal Center: the Law Offices of Christopher J. Trainor & Associates.

It was only eight days after the civil rights lawsuit was filed that Deangelo was charged with a crime, more than a year after he was assaulted and arrested. Deangelo believed this was only done in retaliation for his civil rights lawsuit.

Michigan Legal Center uncovered a previous internal affairs complaint against VanKeuren for use of force during a traffic stop and other policy violations and argued that the city had failed to adequately train and discipline officers.

The jury found that both officers had used excessive force and awarded Deangelo $325,000 in damages and held both officers liable.