Worcester man sues city, Fox for $10 million over alleged "Cops" filming

The man, identified in his suit only as John Doe, claims that in 2006, a "Cops" camera crew accompanying some Worcester officers illegally broke into his house and filmed the cops arresting him as he lay in his bed, naked and cowering in fear.

The man charges both Worcester police and the Fox crew violated his civil rights. He says he was asleep one hot July night when a Worcester sergeant entered his apartment through an open window and then opened his door so that the camera crew could enter and turn on their spotlights as officers entered the man's bedroom:

The plaintiff awakened in terror, partially blinded by the lights but able to see the muzzles of four guns pointing at him.

Plaintiff instinctively began to move his hands towards lower torso to cover his torso but stopped as police officers threatened to shoot him and ordered him to freeze.

As police officers demanded the plaintiff identify himself and otherwise interrogated him the plaintiffs eyes began to adjust to the lights and he realized that video cameras as well as guns were pointed at him and by all appearances were recording the image of him lying naked and terrified in his bed.

After a period of interrogation Sgt Needham, the other officers and the cameramen then left plaintiffs bedroom and exited his apartment.

Since this incident plaintiff has, by his counsel, attempted to learn from Fox and/or its agents the location or status of any video made of the plaintiff, but these efforts have brought no response.

Fox's response to his complaint is basically: What the hell is he talking about? The network claims it has no knowledge of any "Cops" filming of him that night or that the alleged cameramen even worked for it.

The city of Worcester has yet to respond to the suit, originally filed in a Massachusetts state court but recently transferred to US District Court in Boston.

Complaint.
Response to the complaint.