John Ross, San Diego's "Water Man," is friends with most of the police but he didn't know the two officers he claims assaulted him on March 15.Ross was doing what he's done every day for the last few years-- handing out bottled of water to homeless people.
In a claim filed Tuesday by John "David" Ross, 74, the so-called "Water Man" said an unidentified officer grabbed his head, twisted his arm and threw him to the ground while he was passing out water to the homeless at K and 15th streets the morning of March 15, The San Diego Union-Tribune reported.
Similar claims were also filed by Marvin Britton, 59, and Myron Hill, 41. The men claim the officer became violent when they questioned why he ordered a crowd receiving water to disperse. They are seeking damages in excess of $25,000.
The department, Police Chief William Lansdowne, the City Council and two unidentified officers are also named in the claim, which is a precursor to a lawsuit. San Diego 6.
Photo from Briebanokski's photostream at Flickr.
1 comment:
I have been homeless at several points in my life. Contrary to popular belief, most homeless did not become so out of choice and not because they are lazy, stupid, or immoral. Many homeless people are victims of abuse in the form of neglect and abandonment by their parents or other caregivers. Some of them are simply victims of life’s tragedies, such as hurricanes, fires, or other catastrophes from which they simply don’t have the resources to recover. I invite you to my blog devoted to raising awareness on homelessness: www.freethegods.com. There you will find an article I wrote on homelessness and pictures I have taken of homeless people. I always give them a dollar or two for the privilege of photographing them. I am often surprised by their cheerfulness and sense of pride. Often, they will show themselves to have some kind of talent. There is a fine line between genius and insanity.
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