The city of Seattle has filed a motion seeking the dismissal of a civil lawsuit against the city and two of its police officers. In the motion, the city denies that the officers used excessive force during the investigation of a 2010 robbery, and states that the discriminatory comments made by the officer during the arrest was intended to control the suspect, not to offend him.

The lawsuit was filed by a man who was arrested in April 2010 outside a Seattle restaurant. He and his friends were leaving the establishment when they witnessed an armed robbery. Although he complied with police orders, the man says, the arresting officers kicked and stomped on his head, hand and legs. The officers also shouted derogatory and discriminatory comments at him.

The man was not arrested or charged in connection with the robberies. However, the city remains insistent that the man was "complicit in the robberies." He denies this allegation, and has filed a civil suit against the city for civil-rights violations, unreasonable use of force, assault and battery and intentional discrimination.

Following the arrests, the officer who allegedly physically and verbally assaulted the man was suspended for 30 days, which is the most severe punishment handed down to police officers short of firing them altogether.

Now, however, the city is seeking a dismissal of the man's lawsuit, claiming that the officer was simply using de-escalation techniques in order to diffuse the situation. The motion also claims that the comment, while offensive, had "no appreciable discriminatory effect."

This is only the latest in a series of allegations of police misconduct in the Seattle area. We will continue to update our blog with any new developments in this or any related stories.

Source: The Seattle Times, "City seeks dismissal of lawsuit in 'Mexican piss' case," Steve Miletich, May 2, 2012