Lawsuit alleges 'vicious assault' on man by Fortney, deputies
EVERETT — A new lawsuit alleging the “vicious assault” of a man in 2018 has been filed against Sheriff Adam Fortney and several deputies.
The deputies include two who were fired by the previous sheriff for alleged policy violations: Art Wallin and Matt Boice. Shortly after becoming sheriff, Fortney reinstated both deputies, who he had worked alongside for years.
Other deputies named in the lawsuit are Nathan Smith, Jack Yilmaz, Jason Harris and Ronald Smarr. The complaint was filed on July 1 in U.S. District Court in Seattle.
Sheriff’s spokesperson Courtney O’Keefe said the sheriff’s office could not comment on pending litigation.
The plaintiff, 34-year-old Paul Barracliffe II, alleges the deputies violated his constitutional rights in September 2018 when they repeatedly used a Taser on him, repeatedly punched him and ordered a police dog to attack him after he was handcuffed. He is represented by attorneys Ada Wong and Jordan Wada of AKW Law in Mountlake Terrace. They wrote that Barracliffe had bipolar disorder, diagnosed after a traumatic brain injury he suffered when he was assaulted in Seattle 12 years ago.
During his arrest, Barracliffe was “unarmed, did not resist, and has mental health problems,” a news release notes.
https://www.heraldnet.com/news/lawsuit-alleges-vicious-assault-on-man-by-fortney-deputies/7