Las Vegas police settle man’s excessive force lawsuit for $70K

The Metropolitan Police Committee on Fiscal Affairs has approved a $70,000 settlement for a man who said he was choked and lost a tooth during a 2014 confrontation with police.

James Kiessling met his ex-wife at a central valley Starbucks for a custody exchange in May 2014, according to a complaint filed in federal court. The complaint stated that the woman began yelling at Kiessling and hit him several times.

A bystander notified Metropolitan Police Department Lt. Bobby Smith, who approached Kiessling in the parking lot with then-Detective Reggie Rader, who is now a lieutenant in Metro’s gang unit.

According to the complaint, both officers restrained Kiessling. The lawsuit alleged that one of them put Kiessling in a chokehold and forced him to the ground, causing him to pass out for about 10 seconds. Kiessling also lost a tooth.

Kiessling was cited with resisting a public officer, but the citation was dismissed in June 2015 after Metro’s internal affairs bureau determined that Rader and Smith violated police policy, according to the suit.

The suit alleged that Rader and Smith violated Kiessling’s Fourth and 14th Amendment rights and used excessive force to restrain him.

Kiessling’s attorney, Paola Armeni, said a mediator helped the parties reach a settlement, which was approved Jan. 28.

“It’s been going on for a very long time, and I think the client was just tired,” Armeni said. “It’s a lot of time and effort.”

U.S. District Judge Gloria Navarro signed a motion to dismiss the case on Feb. 14.

Metro’s legal counsel did not respond to requests for comment.

Contact Max Michor at mmichor@reviewjournal.com or 702-383-0365. Follow @MaxMichor on Twitter.