English v. Williams et al

On November 4, 2025, in New Haven, Connecticut, John English filed a federal lawsuit against Officer Michael Williams and the city, alleging excessive force during a traffic stop. The incident, captured on body camera, shows Officer Williams striking English multiple times after he questioned the reason for the stop. English sustained a fractured orbital bone and psychological trauma. The complaint asserts claims under 42 U.S.C. § 1983 for violation of Fourth Amendment rights against unreasonable seizure, alongside state tort claims for assault and battery. The city is accused of failing to adequately train and supervise its officers, maintaining a custom of tolerating excessive force.

The case is currently pending in the United States District Court for the District of Connecticut. No trial date has been set.

Whether Officer Williams' use of force was objectively unreasonable under the Fourth Amendment, and whether the City of New Haven maintains a policy or custom of condoning police violence that led to the constitutional violation.

The case has sparked renewed local protests demanding police accountability and transparency in New Haven. Community activists have cited the body camera footage as undeniable proof of brutality, placing pressure on city officials to reform use-of-force policies. The incident contributes to the ongoing national debate over qualified immunity for law enforcement officers.