A Meriden man has filed suit against several Meriden police officers accusing one officer of police brutality.
In the lawsuit, Joey Bryans claims he was beaten by Officer Evan Cossette outside Midstate Medical Center on January 23, 2011.
Bryans said he was at the hospital being treated for a cut on his hand he received while celebrating his 30th birthday. He stepped outside the hospital to smoke a cigarette.
According to the lawsuit, nursing personnel alerted security that Bryans had left the building and needed to be restrained and returned to the hospital.
Cossette and another officer, Mark Nowak, were at the hospital on a different call, but went to the parking lot to help bring Bryans back inside, the lawsuit claims.
A surveillance video from the hospital shows Bryans on the ground with the two officer over him. Bryans claims Cossette punched him several times and used a stun gun on him twice.
Cossette said Bryans was aggressive and out of control.
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The lawsuit also names Meriden Police Chief Jeffry Cossette, Timothy Topulos, Leonard Caponigro, Glen Milslagle, the City of Meriden and Midstate Medical Center as defendants. Jeffry Cossette is Even Cossette's father.
Evan Cossette was accused in the past of beating a suspect inside a holding cell. He was disciplined for that incident, but the department said and internal investigation cleared Cossette on other brutality charges, including the case involving Bryans.
