PHILADELPHIA _ Andrew Tornetta, the Montgomery County Eagles fan who was charged with punching a police horse at Lincoln Financial before the NFC championship game against the Minnesota Vikings, has filed a lawsuit against police and the team, claiming he did not strike the animal and alleging officers beat him for no reason.
In the suit filed Wednesday in Philadelphia Court of Commons Pleas, Tornetta said that as a result of the alleged beating, his "false" arrest and demonization in the media, he has suffered "physical pain, discomfort, trauma, humiliation, embarrassment, emotional distress, sleeplessness, anxiety, inability to perform simple activities of daily living, depression characterized by feelings of despair, hopelessness, and despondency..."
The suit, which alleges assault and battery by the police, seeks damages in excess of $50,000.
The lawsuit says Tornetta, 20, of North Wales, was with other fans in a parking lot at the Linc for the Jan. 21 game when mounted police arrived to disperse the crowd.
Tornetta was moving with the crowd when "suddenly, without waning or notice" State Police Trooper Wesley Van Wyck, who was on horseback, grabbed him by the collar and eventually pulled off his shirt, the suit said.
Other officers, including Philadelphia Police mounted Officer Paul Tinneny, allegedly hit Tornetta with batons in his face. He was then forced to lay face down in the parking lot while bleeding from his wounds, according to the lawsuit.
Tornetta did not punch a police horse, the lawsuit said.
Besides the physical injuries, the suit said Tornetta was "demonized" in the news media and on social media "reporting upon his assault on police and his cruelty towards an animal." Images and video of the incident went viral after the arrest.
The suit alleges the officers involved in Tornetta's arrest lied about what happened, leading to his false imprisonment and defamation.
The Eagles are named as defendants for allegedly failing to supervise police acting on their behalf.
Tornetta was placed in an accelerated misdemeanor program and charges of resisting arrest, disorderly conduct and failure to disperse were withdrawn March 6 after he completed 12 hours of community service and paid $222 in court fees.
We are seeking comment from the Philadelphia police, State Police and the Eagles.
