Chatham Man Files Lawsuit Against Police
Written by Mark Childrey
Friday, 20 August 2010 16:37
A man from Chatham in Pittsylvania County, VA, is suing local law enforcement officers for $36 million dollars because he says they violated his civil rights.
WAKG Radio reports that Merle Rutledge, Jr., is the man who filed the lawsuit – and he said that he was walking down Main Street in Chatham on his way home from the library when a police officer – Nathan Roach – stopped him and asked for his identification.
Rutledge – who is African American – says he was not told why he was being stopped – but he believes it was because of the color of his skin – and says the incident was humiliating and embarrassing and violated his civil rights.
Rutledge says he met with Chatham Police chief Marvin Wright and officer Roach and the chief encouraged the officer to apologize – but that didn't happen.
Rutledge says that even now – if officer Roach would apologize – he would consider dropping the suit.
Rutledge is acting as his own attorney in the suit which also names Governor Bob McDonnell and Attorney General Ken Cuccinelli as defendants for – quote – "creating a climate and pattern of discrimination" in the state.
He has filed other suits in the past, including a similar one in Norfolk.
