Judge finds excessive force used by two Rochester police officers against man during 2015 arrest

ROCHESTER, N.Y. — A federal judge has ruled that two Rochester police officers used excessive force against a man during a 2015 arrest.

According to court paperwork, video evidence showed officers Steven Mitchell and Matthew Drake hitting David Vann in the face, throwing him to the sidewalk, and pepper spraying him.

It happened after Vann got into an argument with a storeowner that turned physical.

When police arrived, Vann failed to answer the officers’ questions, but according to the judge, did not physically resist arrest.

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