Rochester police and city officials sued over "inhumane" use of force against residents and protesters

A federal civil rights lawsuit was filed Monday against city and police officials in Rochester, New York, alleging decades of "inhumane" and racist police violence against demonstrators and residents. The lawsuit comes more than a year after Daniel Prude died in police custody, which led to national condemnation of police use of force in the city. 

"Simply put, a stunning historical record spanning more than four decades demonstrates that the Rochester Police Department's use-of-force practices continue to be inhumane, racist, and antithetical to the functioning of a civilized society," the lawsuit states.  The lawsuit, filed by a group of lawyers, activists and people who attended protests in the city, alleges that police in Rochester routinely deploy excessive force against minorities, especially during protests, and that department and city officials have let such conduct go largely unpunished. The nearly 100-page document details more than 50 instances of alleged police abuse against people of color, for which the vast majority of officers were never formally disciplined.