Federal Lawsuit Filed by Man Seen in Footage Being Beaten by Arkansas Deputies and Police Officer

Content warning: This article contains footage some may find disturbing.

The man seen in widely shared footage last month being held down and beaten by three Arkansas law enforcement officers has filed a federal lawsuit.

According to regional outlet KFSM 5 News, attorneys for the man—identified as Randal Worcester—have filed suit against Levi White and Zack King of the Crawford County Sheriff’s Department and Thell Riddle of the Mulberry Police Department. Also named in the suit are the departments themselves, as well as sheriff Jimmy Damante and chief Shannon Gregory.

The suit argues that damages are owed to Worcester, whose Fourth Amendment and Fourteenth Amendment rights are alleged to have been violated during the brutal arrest, due to involved officers having engaged in “negligence, assault, excessive force, and battery.” Attorneys have also disputed previous claims about Worcester, namely that he threatened a gas station worker. Instead, the suit argues, he had asked the employee for water when they “became angry” and asked him to exit the store.

Elsewhere in the suit, which is available to read in full here via Axios, attorneys note their client “sustained serious bodily harm” due to the “reckless” and “intentional” actions of the involved officers. Some of the injuries, they say, will be permanent. It’s also alleged that Mulberry police didn’t adequately respond to prior complaints of assault alleged to have been carried out against others.

On Aug. 21, the Arkansas State Police announced it had opened an investigation into the arrest, which occurred that same day outside a convenience store in the Mulberry area.

“The state police investigation will be limited to the use of physical force by the deputies and police officer,” Arkansas Department of Public Safety Cabinet Secretary A.J. Gary said at the time. 

Additionally, per the Arkansas Democrat-Gazette, Crawford County’s prosecuting attorney has appointed a special prosecutor to determine whether charges will be filed against the officers.