On October 25, 2023, Kaplan Hecker & Fink LLP secured an important victory in the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Second Circuit on behalf of Melvin C. Washington, a man who was brutally attacked by three assailants at a local Connecticut hospital in 2019 and then arrested unlawfully by two officers who arrived on the scene.
Mr. Washington filed a civil rights lawsuit in federal district court, alleging that the arresting officers violated his constitutional rights under the Fourth Amendment. After the district court held that the officers were not entitled to qualified immunity, the officers appealed, and the Second Circuit appointed KHF Partner Ray Tolentino to serve as pro bono appellate counsel for Mr. Washington.
After briefing and oral argument, the Second Circuit agreed with KHF’s principal argument that the appeal should be dismissed for lack of jurisdiction, clearing the path for Mr. Washington to present his case to a jury.
We are proud to represent Mr. Washington in his courageous pursuit for justice and accountability. In addition to Tolentino, the KHF team includes associate Selena Kitchens and case manager Ali Hurst.
Read the summary order here.