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Point Marion Police Officer Kevin Lukart previously served in Braddock, Apollo
ACLU files lawsuit in support of man arrested for recording officer
POINT MARION, Pa. -
The American Civil Liberties Union has filed a lawsuit against a Point Marion police officer on behalf of a man who was arrested for recording the officer’s interrogation of a friend.
“My client was caught recording an interrogation of his friend by a police officer. That police officer questioned him, detained him (and) informed him that what he was doing was against Pennsylvania's wiretap law,” said American Civil Liberties Union attorney Glen Downey.
According to the lawsuit, Point Marion Police Officer Kevin Lukart took the man’s cellphone and threatened to send him to jail over the recording.
Downey said his client realized that recording the officer was legal and took his complaint to the mayor.
“He goes to the mayor and he says, ‘Look, I got arrested for something that I shouldn't have been arrested (for). Not only that, the officer that arrested me, did you know what he’s done in the past?’” said Downey.
Downey said word got back to Lukart and the officer retaliated.
“Several hours later, knock at the door, all of a sudden he's arrested for that previous conduct. So, yes, it's retaliation in several ways -- first for the recording, then for having the gall to say, ‘Wait a minute. I shouldn't have been arrested, and not only that, do you know who you have as a police officer?’” said Downey.
Video shot by a WTAE photojournalist in 2007 showed Lukart, then a member of the Braddock Police Department, twice punching a handcuffed burglary suspect before shoving him into a police vehicle. Lukart was suspended and would not return to serving in Braddock.
In 2000, he was charged with exposing himself to a teenage girl while working as a police officer in Apollo.
Read more: http://www.wtae.com/news/local/fayette/ACLU-files-lawsuit-in-support-of-man-arrested-for-recording-officer/-/10931844/15611046/-/bw5wpjz/-/index.html#ixzz21DtJ1Phj
Read more: http://www.wtae.com/news/local/fayette/ACLU-files-lawsuit-in-support-of-man-arrested-for-recording-officer/-/10931844/15611046/-/bw5wpjz/-/index.html#ixzz21DtJ1Phj
COMMENT
This case makes me sick! I was also a victim of Officer Lukarts "abuse of authority". He interrogated me and threatened to arrest me more than once for something totally irrelevant to my situation. I was a victim of automobile theft and officer Lukart badgered me about lieing and hiding evidence to the point of tears. At the time I was about 3 months pregnant and he badgered me so bad, I was doubled over in pain from the anxiety he put me through. I thought our law enforcement was supposed to help those who are victims of crimes not badger us. He is a disgrace to any police department he works for including Point Marion! This guy needs out of law enforcement for good!
