A Romulus man was awarded $9.3 million for having his constitutional rights violated by a Dearborn police officer during an encounter at a fast food restaurant.
Luther Gonzales-Hall, 25, was leaving his girlfriend’s house on his bicycle when he stopped Officer Marvin Sanders and asked for directions in 2018.
After getting directions from the officer, Gonzalez-Hall stopped at White Castle to confirm the directions. Body camera footage released shows Sanders followed Gonzalez-Hall into the restaurant and kept asking why he was there.
The footage shows Sanders push Gonzalez-Hall.
Gonzalez-Hall said Sanders used excessive force by choking him.
During the altercation, Sanders’ camera fell off, so not all details of the incident were captured on video. A second officer’s camera caught Gonzalez-Hall being cuffed.
Criminal charges against Gonzalez-Hall were eventually dropped.
The Dearborn Police Department did not respond to requests for comment on the settlement or the officer’s employment status. A February press release from the department listed Cpl. Marvin Sanders as the contact.
