Trial Opens For Peabody Police Officers Accused Of Beating Teen

PEABODY, MA — A U.S. District Court jury heard opening arguments this week in a case involving several Peabody police officers accused of misconduct. Tyler Leger-Broskey of North Reading filed the civil suit, claiming the police officers falsely arrested him and beat him so severely that, more than four years later, he continues to suffer from seizures.

According to court documents, Peabody police were called to the McDonald's at 133 Main Street on March 28, 2015 for a report of two teenagers smoking marijuana in the bathroom. Officers James McGovern and Antonio Santos found Leger-Broskey, then 16, and a friend walking near the restaurant. In his complaint, Leger-Broskey claims he was injured when he was thrown against a wall, but answered all the officers' questions. The police officers confiscated a small amount of marijuana. Leger-Broskey and his friend were released, and returned to the restaurant to clean food that had spilled on their clothing during the incident.

Police maintain they warned the two teens not to return to the restaurant, but Leger-Broskey's claims no such warning was issued. As he tried to leave the restaurant's bathroom, McGovern blocked his way. Leger-Broskey said he had the right to not answer questions. His lawsuit says he was tackled and that McGovern, Santos, as well as officers James Harkins, Scott Paszkowski and Robert Waugh, who had arrived at the store and are also named in the lawsuit, beat him. He also claims McGovern sprayed him with pepper spray.

"On information and belief, the Peabody Police Department was previously made aware of allegations that Defendant McGovern had issues with responding to anger with violence, yet did nothing to protect members of the public from that violence," the lawsuit says. "Compounding the violence done on Plaintiff's body, the Individual Defendants set about fabricating evidence to shield themselves from scrutiny for having battered a 16-year-old boy."

In a response to the initial complaint, the City and the Peabody Police Department maintain that Leger-Broskey was resisting arrest.

Dave Copeland covers Peabody and other North Shore communities for Patch and can be reached at dave.copeland@patch.com or by calling 617-433-7851. Follow him on Twitter (@CopeWrites) and Facebook (/copewrites).