Man claims officer tore his biceps tendon

A Huntington Beach man has filed a claim with the city for police brutality while in the Huntington Beach Police Department’s jail.

Michael J. O’Brien, 43, is asking for an unknown amount of more than $10,000 for assault and battery after two detention officers twisted his right arm behind his back without justification, according to the claim filed Jan. 26. A claim is the precursor to a lawsuit. The city is reviewing the claim, spokeswoman Laurie Payne said.

O’Brien had been arrested on suspicion of domestic violence, Lt. Russell Reinhart said.

O’Brien said he was in the jail about 4:30 a.m. July 31, being searched and relinquishing his property. He sat on a bench and officers asked him something about his shoes when two officers allegedly lunged at him unprovoked, grabbed him off the bench and twisted his arm behind his back, O’Brien said.

O’Brien said there was a popping noise that turned out to be his biceps tendon ripping.

A third officer came into the room and assisted the other two officers in moving O’Brien into a holding cell, where they slammed him to the ground, he said.

O’Brien said he obtained a copy of the surveillance video of the incident from the Orange County district attorney’s office.

“You can say what you want, but video doesn’t lie,” he said.

Reinhart said he can’t comment on the claim, but the department is looking into it.

O’Brien said he suffered a partially torn biceps tendon and a rotator cup sprain and went to three months of physical therapy.