The city of Milwaukee has announced a $5 million dollar proposed settlement with 74 black men who say they were illegally strip searched and fondled by police. The alleged victims claim they were fondled and forced to endure illegal cavity searches.
A 2014 article from Courthouse News details the charges:
A police officer serving time for conducting illegal strip and body-cavity searches owes punitive damages to the subject of one such search, a man claims in Federal Court.
Edward Earl Wright says he was near his parked truck outside his mother’s house in Milwaukee after midnight when Officers Michael Vagnini, Jacob Knight, Jeffrey Cline, Gregory Kuspa and Jason Mucha stopped him and asked if he had drugs or guns.
When Wright said he did not, Vagnini allegedly accused the man of lying and began searching his truck without his consent.
“After searching Mr. Wright’s vehicle and finding nothing, Officer Vagnini put plastic gloves on his hands and reached inside Mr.
Wright’s pants, grabbing and searching Mr. Wright’s genitalia; once again without Mr. Wright’s consent; without probable cause; and without a reasonable basis to do so,” the complaint states.
Vagnini has since pleaded no contest to eight criminal charges related to illegal body-cavity and strip searches, for which he is now serving a 26-month sentence. Charges of sexual assault were dismissed.
“Said charges occur[ed] with respect to other African American males in Milwaukee,” like Wright, the complaint states.
At least one alleged victim claimed he began bleeding as a result of the illegal search.
Four officers were convicted of crimes in connection with illegal strip and cavity searches.
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