Lawsuit: Whitehall knew of officer’s ‘limited judgement’ before he fatally injured man

COLUMBUS, Ohio (The Columbus Dispatch): The family of Alex Menhenett, an Ohio man who died from a fatal head injury, has filed a lawsuit against the Whitehall Police Department. Menhenett, 27, sustained the injury during an arrest by Whitehall officers in April 2023 and later died in the hospital. The lawsuit alleges that the officers, including Kyle Schneider, used excessive force, which led to Menhenett's death.

According to the suit, Menhenett was unarmed and in crisis when police attempted to take him into custody. His family argues that the officers' actions violated Menhenett’s civil rights and that proper de-escalation tactics were not used during the arrest. The Whitehall Police Department has not commented on the lawsuit, and the case is being reviewed in court.

The Menhenett family is seeking justice for their loss, calling for accountability and further reforms in police training, especially regarding interactions with individuals in crisis.

Full article here.