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Owner of Allston tattoo shop sues city, says cops burst into his home, arrested him under false pretenses

Scott Matalon, owner of Stingray Body Art, yesterday filed a federal civil-rights lawsuit against the city of Boston and several Boston police officers he says burst into his home while he was sleeping on Sept. 29, 2010, saying they were investigating a robbery and that when he objected, tackled him, forced him to the floor and then arrested him.

Matalon is seeking compensation for the $56,000 in legal bills he says he incurred successfully fighting charges of disturbing the peace and resisting arrest - but also to force the Boston Police Department to better train its officers.

Matalon's suit, filed in US District Court in Boston, says he was asleep around 11 a.m. on the third floor of his Farrington Avenue home when he heard his two parrots squawking and a dog barking. He doesn't own a dog, and when he went down to investigate, found two police officers and a dog inside, allegedly investigating a robbery at a nearby business.

Matalon says the officers directed him to his own porch, where one began screaming at him for not answering their inquiries from outside; he told them he'd been asleep.

Plaintiff requested that the police close the door to ensure the safety of his parrots. They refused.

Defendant O'Neil and the plaintiff engaged in further conversation during which O'Neil criticized the plaintiff's "attitude."

Plaintiff asked the police how long he would be interrogated.

O'Neil told him to "shut up."

Plaintiff responded to being told to shut up by asserting his rights to speak in his own home.

At that point, plaintiff was tackled, forced to the floor and placed under arrest.

During the arrest, his arms were twisted extensively and he was slammed face first on the ground.

Officer Hynes screamed at plaintiff and called him a "f.ing piece of s..t" Plaintiff was left face down on the porch for approximately ten minutes.

Plaintiff was taken to a police station, booked and charged with crimes.

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Comments

And I'm sick of right-wingers who respond to stories like this by saying "suck it up" etc, because they WORSHIP the Government and Police power. The cops all over the country need to be reigned back in a HUGE way. They are out of control because god forbid anyone question our government masters.

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What if the cops saw this person run into his house right before he " woke up"?

It does sound disgraceful how it is written though doesn't it?

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Would blame Obama and link it to Benghazi and Operation Fast & Furious.

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Are these the same fabled "right wingers" who allegedly keep stacks of automated death weaponry on hand to protect against the jack booted government thugs?

Or would those be different ones? I'm confused!

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Those would be the right wingers who think the police can do no wrong since they themselves have never been harassed by the police. They don't keep guns because they don't need them, they pay taxes n order for the police to protect them.

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There's always one - write 'what THEY would say,' and then bitch about what THEY said. Confusing? It should be. When you start picking arguments with yourself, you know you have a problem.

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I heard the guy rides a bike, so I'm pretty sure he must be guilty of something.

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I testified at the court-this is and was an unfortunate case of police just going waayyy overboard. If you read the criminal complaint-which was successfully defended and dismissed-the police report is contradictory...the defendent is 5 foot 4 135 pounds...was dressed in only a pair of shorst and reportedly 'attacked' these officers and dogs inside his home. He was not restrained...he had bruises and required physical therapy. If I were the lawyer representing the city....I'd look to settle quickly...the deeper teh dive into this story...the worse it is for them.

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56k to defend themselves on a humble? Did he think he was going to do time? And ooooo...bruises! Take it from someone who caught beatings from the BPD twice in my life, leave it alone and get on with your life.

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for stupidest comment of 2013.

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When will the winner be announced?!

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n/t

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Where's my award? I hope it's one of those leg lamps!

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