ACLU files civil rights lawsuit against police over arrest

ASHLAND, Ore. (AP) — The American Civil Liberties Union of Oregon is suing the city of Ashland, Oregon, for $2 million over the arrest of a Latino man who was handcuffed to the floor of a jail cell. The Oregonian/OregonLive reports ACLU filed the lawsuit in Jackson County Circuit Court on behalf of Juan A. Sancho Friday. It says Ashland police violated Sancho’s civil rights by arresting him without probable cause. The lawsuit additionally alleges that Chief Tighe O’Meara failed to train his officers on de-escalation strategies and on how bias plays out in encounters with people of color. O’Meara declined to comment Monday on Sancho’s claims, citing the pending litigation.