FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
January 11, 2021
Contacts:
Gregg Kelley, Washington Lawyers’ Committee for Civil Rights and Urban Affairs
[email protected], 202-319-1070
Luciene Parsley, Disability Rights Maryland
[email protected], 443-692-2494
Plaintiff’s mother had taken him to Harford County Detention Center to ask for assistance, but instead witnessed police attack her son
BALTIMORE, MD – Rodney Coster, a resident of Baltimore County, MD, filed suit against Harford County, MD, Harford County Sheriff’s Office, Harford County Detention Center, and several officers for unlawfully and violently restraining and arresting him after he arrived at the Harford County Detention Center during a mental health crisis.
On January 10, 2018, Mr. Coster visited his mother, Sharon Freedman, at her home for her birthday. During the visit, Ms. Freedman recognized that her son was exhibiting symptoms related to his Bipolar disorder. Concerned, Ms. Freedman convinced her son to let him drive her to the Harford County Detention Center. She had previously sought assistance getting her son transported to the hospital in the past from another law enforcement agency, and they had helped her.
Upon arriving at Harford Detention Center, Ms. Freedman’s explained her son’s condition to an officer and that she needed help getting him to the hospital. Rather than render aid, officers approached Mr. Coster, and although he was unarmed and nonviolent, tased him five separate times, dragged him out of the car, and proceeded to tackle and beat him. Mr. Coster, standing only 5’3” and weighing 145 pounds, became afraid for his life. Ultimately they handcuffed Mr. Coster, lifted him off the ground by his wrists, dislocating his shoulder and causing other injuries, before carrying him face down into the detention facility. Ms. Freedman was present during the entire incident, but helpless to do anything.
Mr. Coster’s injuries were not treated until the next day. He lay in a cell all night with an extremely painful dislocated shoulder. When he was taken to Upper Chesapeake Medical Center in the morning, Harford County Officers once again used unnecessary force on him.
“This was an extremely scary experience and had repercussions for me over the subsequent months and years. I was charged with a crime even though I didn’t do anything wrong, I lost a good job opportunity, and I still have pain and physical injuries and emotional distress as a result of what happened ,” said Rodney Coster.
Mr. Costner is represented by the Washington Lawyers’ Committee for Civil Rights and Urban Affairs, Disability Rights Maryland and Mayer Brown LLP.
“What happened to Mr. Coster was a violation of his civil rights, both related to the use of excessive force but also his rights under the Americans with Disabilities Act, which prohibits this kind of behavior by law enforcement. This case highlights the need for Harford County Sheriff’s Office to take immediate steps to divert individuals having a mental health crisis from interactions with law enforcement whenever possible,” stated Luciene Parsley, Disability Rights Maryland Legal Director, “Mr. Coster was not well served by the system here — he needed mental health crisis response, and the violence he experienced at the hands of the Sheriff’s Office delayed his getting treatment, caused lasting trauma, and made everything much worse.”
“Hartford County failed to have adequate services in place to provide Mr. Coster with treatment, rather than a violent and unnecessary arrest. Mr. Coster’s mother sought help from the Harford County Sheriff’s Office but instead deputies tased, beat and arrested Mr. Coster; inflicting severe injuries and terrorizing him. Mr. Coster deserves justice, but the system needs to change as well.” said Jacqueline Kutnik-Bauder, Deputy Legal Director for the Washington Lawyers’ Committee for Civil Rights and Urban Affairs.
You can view a copy of the complaint here.
PRESS:
# # # #
ABOUT THE WASHINGTON LAWYERS’ COMMITTEE: Founded in 1968, The Washington Lawyers’ Committee for Civil Rights and Urban Affairs works to create legal, economic and social equity through litigation, client and public education and public policy advocacy. While we fight discrimination against all people, we recognize the central role that current and historic race discrimination plays in sustaining inequity and recognize the critical importance of identifying, exposing, combatting and dismantling the systems that sustain racial oppression. For more information, please visit www.washlaw.org or call 202.319.1000. Follow us on Twitter at @WashLaw4CR.
ABOUT DISABILITY RIGHTS MARYLAND: Disability Rights Maryland (DRM) is the federally mandated protection and advocacy organization for the State of Maryland. DRM exists to advance the civil rights of people with disabilities, champion their self-advocacy, and ensure that individuals are free from abuse, neglect and rights violations. DRM provides free legal services to Marylanders of any age with all types of disabilities (developmental, intellectual, psychiatric, physical, sensory, learning, traumatic brain injury), who live in facilities, in the community or who are homeless. For more information, visit us at www.disabilityrightsmd.org.
ABOUT MAYER BROWN LLP: Mayer Brown is uniquely positioned to advise the world’s leading companies and financial institutions on their most complex deals and disputes. As the first major law firm to develop and implement a pro bono strategic plan, Mayer Brown has long deployed its considerable resources to confront systemic problems around the world where it can have a major impact. Visit: https://www.mayerbrown.com.