Holly Hill reaches settlement with man who filed excessive force lawsuit

HOLLY HILL, SC (WCSC) - The Holly Hill Police Department and the town of Holly Hill have settled a gross negligence lawsuit for $150,000.

Jermaine Martin filed the lawsuit in February of 2017 after two incidents in which he says police officers used excessive force.

The suit claims Martin was arrested on Feb. 14, 2015, after an encounter with police on Peake Street in Holly Hill.

Martin claims police used excessive force during that arrest and claims the officers tried to punish him for resisting arrest.

In a second incident, the suit claims police were involved in a chase with Martin after approaching him about loud music on April 26, 2016, that resulted in officers dragging Martin through his window and dropping him on his face on the road.

The suit says that officers used excessive, impermissible and unreasonable force to restrain Martin both before and after his arrest.

A settlement signed on Nov. 16, 2018, awarded Martin a total of $150,000 for the two incidents.

In exchange, Martin agreed to never sue Holly Hill or the Holly Hill Police Department again over the same incidents.

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