Pittsburgh Police Sued over False Marijuana Arrest
PITTSBURGH, PA — Two Pittsburgh police officers are the targets of a lawsuit filed last Monday by a Hampton man who alleges they falsely arrested him for buying marijuana at a car wash.
Officers Kenneth Simon and Anthony Scarpine arrested Timothy Joyce, 23, after Simon claimed he saw Joyce buy weed from a man at the car wash in July, 2010. That led to Joyce being jailed for several days on a charge he violated probation on a February 2010 misdemeanor drug possession charge.
Video surveillance at the car wash later showed that Joyce did not interact with the man the officer claimed sold him the marijuana, and the charges were dropped in September, 2010.
Joyce is suing the city and the two police officers for unlawful arrest, unlawful search and seizure, and malicious prosecution. City Solicitor Dan Regan said on Tuesday the city is reviewing the lawsuit but otherwise declined comment.
