Incident

Incident Description

On October 26th, 2016 Buffalo Police Officers Joseph Hassett, John Beyer, and Brian Strobele used physical force by grabbing, jerking, pulling, tackleing and twisting Moses Torres, forcing his arms behind his back, hitting and striking him in the face and eye area, handcuffing him, and forcing him into the backseat of a police vehicle. Torres sustained severe injuries with accompanying pain, including but not limited to multiple lacerations and contusions to his hands, wrists, head and both eyes, neck, back and shoulders.

Torres was arrested by these officers without a warrant, reasonable cause or reasonable suspicion that he engaged in unlawful activity. The officers falsely, maliciously, and recklessly arrested Torres with force and charged him with Assault in the 2nd degree, Resisting Arrest, Criminal Possession of a Controlled Substance in the 7th degree, Obstructing Governmental Administration in the 2nd degree, and two counts of Disorderly Conduct.

Outcome

All charges against Moses were dismissed.

Moses filed a civil complaint against the City of Buffalo, the Buffalo Police Department, the County of Erie, the Erie County Sheriff's Department, and Officers Hassett, Beyer, and Strobele due to the emotional trauma and harm, mental injury, physical injury, economic damage, legal expenses, and deprivation of his physical liberty, and rights. The County of Erie and the Erie County Sheriff's Office filed a motion to dismiss the Complaint filed against against them due to failure to state claim. The court ruled that the Complaint against the County and the Sheriff be dismissed and the Complaint against the city defendant could proceed. A Stipulation of Discontinuance was been filed, but no information regarding a settlement is publicly listed.

There has been no information released about disciplinary action against the officers.