Mugshot of Jonathan McCoy taken after his arrest.
Columbia, SC (WLTX) -- On an October evening in 2009, Jonathan McCoy was in Five Points with a friend of his for an expected evening of fun.
Instead, before the night was through both men would be under arrest, and tragedy would strike.
A South Carolina attorney, Jonathan David McCoy, has filed suit against the Columbia Police Department and three of its officers over the incident which took place.
That suit has reached the jury selection process, which starts Tuesday.
On that night, McCoy's friend was asked to leave a bar at one point in the evening, according to the officers that were taking that friend into custody.
According to McCoy's lawsuit, he tried to ask the officers if his friend was under arrest, and where they were taking him. In surveillance video of the incident, you can see one of the CPD officers shove McCoy.
In the lawsuit, McCoy states that at this point, he was arrested and when he asked why he was arrested, the officer told him, "For that right there--asking questions."
McCoy's lawsuit contends his first amendment rights were violated, and seeks additional damages for trauma McCoy suffered when his cell mate, Olin Taylor, hanged himself in the same cell at Richland County jail.
To view the surveillance video, and read statements from First Amendment Attorney Jay Bender, please see:
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