New Hampshire Man Sues Police Over Taser Incident

A New Hampshire man who broke his elbow when a Sanbornton police officer used a stun gun on him is suing the officer and town in federal court.

Twenty-nine-year-old Dennis Huckins of Tilton says he was wrongfully detained and prosecuted for resisting arrest. He’s seeking compensation for medical bills, emotional distress and damage to his reputation.

The Concord Monitor reported that Huckins was arrested in 2009 after Officer Mark McSweeney ordered him to perform a sobriety test. Huckins claims McSweeney used a Taser on him for no reason, but McSweeney says he used it after Huckins began running away before the test was completed.

A judge later dismissed the resisting arrest charge.

The town’s attorneys say the use of the Taser and the resisting arrest charge were justified.