(NewsSpace.com) – When police officers arrive on scene and need to detain someone, they put them in handcuffs. The devices are supposed to be tight enough that the person can’t slip out of them, but not so tight that they cut off circulation. Yet, that’s exactly what one Alabama man says happened, and he lost his hand as a result of it. He’s now suing Jefferson County Sheriff’s Department deputies for the loss of his appendage.
The lawsuit stems from an incident that occurred on February 16, 2020. After receiving multiple calls of two men fighting and unloading or loading weapons, three deputies arrived on scene at a trailer park to address the issue. They knocked on the door of the home where 25-year-old Giovanni Loyola was staying.
According to the complaint reported by AL.com, Loyola says he was pulled out of his home by Deputy Christopher Godber, who “reached inside the doorway, grabbed Plaintiff by the wrist and jerked him outside the home and down the steps.” He claims he was then assaulted and pinned to the ground while officers placed him in handcuffs.
The deputies then arrested him on charges of resisting arrest and disorderly conduct. In the midst of all this, Loyola says he was complaining about the handcuffs being too tight, but he was ignored. The devices stayed on his hands for quite a while until he was taken to the county jail. Even then, he says he was denied medical care. As it turns out, the handcuffs were initially not double-locked, a measure that keeps them from tightening without the use of a key.
On February 28, when he was released from jail, Loyola went to the doctor with pain and discolored fingers, where he was told he would need surgery. All in all, he had five surgeries, which resulted in the loss of his entire left hand. He says he can no longer do manual labor and is suing for damages. The case is scheduled to go to trial on April 14.
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