GARDEN CITY, Kan. (AP) A Finney County jury found that a Garden City police officer didn’t use excessive force when a police dog was used to subdue a man during a traffic stop.
The jury deliberated only 45 minutes Tuesday before reaching a verdict in the lawsuit filed by former Garden City resident Jack Nemechek against Garden City and police officer David Wheet.
The Garden City Telegram reports Nemechek was stopped in February 2004 by three police officers for a traffic violation. Police say Nemechek was combative and the officers eventually released the police dog to help subdue him. Wheet made the decision to use the dog.
Nemechek, who lives in Wichita, said in a deposition that he became verbally aggressive only before being attacked by the dog. He denied hitting the officers.
