Court Filing Alleges New Jersey Police Brutalized Black Man Post-Surgery, Squeezing His Genitals and Mocking Him With Cruel Words While Beating Him

A federal judge determined last month that a lawsuit filed by Benjamin Jackson, a Black man from Paterson, New Jersey, alleging illegal police actions, can advance. U.S. District Judge Jamel K. Semper ruled on September 22 that some claims have legal standing, although others were dismissed. Jackson's lawsuit, initiated in November 2024, details an encounter on November 6, 2022, when he was stopped by four undercover officers without probable cause. Following a series of aggressive interactions, including assertions of excessive force and sexual assault, Jackson sustained notable injuries, including a severe testicular injury requiring surgery.Judge Semper allowed claims against Officers Salameh, Dombayci, Rikowich, and Davis to proceed, while dismissing others, including a claim of racial discrimination. The broader issues tied to departmental misconduct and oversight also came into focus, especially following state intervention in police management due to longstanding concerns over practices within the Paterson Police Department. (Photos: Paterson Police Department Facebook Page, New Jersey Department of Corrections)