In September 2010, a WMATA police officer demanded that Mr. Carlos Cárdenas get moving and pushed his bike down the escalator. After Mr. Cárdenas asked the officer why he pushed the bike, the officer called for back-up. Additional officers swarmed Mr. Cárdenas and arrested him shortly thereafter.
We filed this lawsuit in September 2011 to highlight the excessive force used by WMATA police practices, and to prompt change in how WMATA handles complaints.
After discovery, the defendants moved for summary judgment, which the court denied from the bench after argument in September 2013. With the assistance of a court-appointed mediator, the parties reached an amicable settlement in March 2014.
