LOCKPORT – Patrick Dietz, a Cheektowaga man who sued the
City of Lockport after allegedly being beaten up by city police, will receive a
cash settlement after an agreement filed in U.S. District Court last week.
Dietz’ attorney, Matthew Parham, declined to comment
Monday on the settlement, and city officials said they could not disclose
information about it. A confidentiality agreement was part of the deal.
Dietz sought more than $1 million when he filed suit in
2012, charging that Officers Anthony D. Pittman, Laura Haseley and unnamed
others beat him up about 5 a.m. Dec. 26, 2010, after handcuffing him to charge
him with disorderly conduct because he was having a loud argument with his
brother on a sidewalk on High Street.
“We deny that it happened,” Police Chief Lawrence M.
Eggert said Monday. He said an internal investigation showed no misconduct by
officers.
The court papers say Dietz suffered a skull fracture, a
lacerated spleen, a broken rib and internal bleeding, and was hospitalized for
more than two weeks.
