Police officers assaulted and arrested the wrong suspect while responding to a report of an unruly person at a Nassau County legislature hearing on the Mask Transparency Act last year, a federal lawsuit seeking $60 millions in damages argues.
Maria Campanelli, 27, of Centereach, suffered a traumatic brain injury, bruising, emotional distress and other damages after being "manhandled" by Nassau officers at the Aug. 5, 2024, legislative meeting in Mineola, according to the lawsuit filed Monday in federal court in Central Islip.
The officers felt empowered to treat Campanelli, 27, in a rough fashion, the court papers said, because they are gender-neutral and nonbinary. The lawsuit alleges that Nassau police violated Campanielli’s constitutional rights and New York State law.
"There was no

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