Lawyer for man arrested, seen in May CPD video still looking at ‘remedies’ in court
COLUMBIA, Mo. (KMIZ)
The lawyer representing a man seen on video getting hit in the face while Columbia police officers arrested him say he's still investigating the situation.
Bharat Varadachari told ABC 17 News on Monday that he is still exploring different "remedies" in civil court for Lee Martin.
"I have great respect for police officers, what they do for a living and the situations they encounter as part of their job," Varadachari said. "I think the video's been circulated quite a bit out there. I'm doing whatever I can to protect his interests right now."
Martin's arrest was caught on video early on May 7 outside of Harpo's Bar and Grill in Downtown Columbia.
Officers Gardner Pottorff and Keenen Shouse had been called to the bar for a "disturbance." The recording shows bar staff sitting on Martin when officers arrived. The two officers are seen trying to arrest Martin while he moves underneath them. Officers are seen using mace, hitting and using a Taser on Martin.
Varadachari did not specify where his investigation stood into the incident. He declined to comment on a Boone County grand jury's decision earlier in July not to charge Pottorff and Shouse with a crime.
"The investigation from my end on behalf of Mr. Martin is not over," Varadachari said. "There are other remedies available in civil courts. Mr. Martin has certain rights that every person has that cannot be violated. So we're investigating all those avenues right now."
Pottorff and Shouse resigned from CPD a few days after the arrest. An attorney for the two said Martin kicked one of the officers in the ribs during the arrest that may have led to Pottorff punching Martin. Varadachari said he disagreed with that description, saying Martin lifted his leg in response to the use of a Taser.
"I haven't done a forensic analysis of the video, but if you're asking what I observed, I disagree with that characterization, that he actually tried to kick the police officer," Varadachari said.
Prosecutors have not yet charged Martin. A police report said officers arrested him on suspicion of trespassing, assault and resisting arrest.
