Posted at: 11/03/2009 5:27 PM
By: Becky Nahm

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Man Claims Mpls. Unnecessarily Used Taser

A man is accusing Minneapolis police officers of excessive force after he said they unnecessarily used a Taser on him. He says dash cam video proves his claim and his is threatening a lawsuit.

Rolando Ruiz, 18, was arrested on April 30 just before 11 p.m.

The details of the arrest have not been released, but Al Goins, the Minneapolis lawyer representing Ruiz, says Ruiz was taken into custody in the parking lot of the second precinct for felony damage to property.

Goins says Ruiz obtained dash cam video of the arrest as part of his ongoing criminal case.

The tape shows a man with his hands on a squad car and a Minneapolis police officer holding a Taser to his neck.

Goins said, "You can see Mr. Ruiz has completely surrendered. He is not talking to the officer, he is not threatening the officer he has nothing in his hands."

However, the video clip provided to 5 EYEWITNESS NEWS does not show the events leading up to the use of the Taser.

Goins has served a notice of claim against the City of Minneapolis, Police Chief Tim Dolan and the officers involved in the incident. He plans to ask for more than $50,000 in damages.

Minneapolis police said they cannot comment on pending litigation.

This is the third accusation of police misconduct backed by video tape made against the Minneapolis police department in less than three months.

In August, Derryl Jenkins accused police of excessive force for an incident in February. Video showed six officers as they punched and kicked Jenkins during a traffic stop in February.

In September, Nicholas Kastner alleged police misconduct for an incident in a downtown parking ramp in December 2008. Video of the incident showed a Minneapolis officer kicking him and then using a taser on him twice.