News

Actions

Norfolk State student, Virginia State Police reach settlement in excessive force lawsuit

Posted at 4:38 PM, Jan 18, 2019
and last updated 2019-01-18 16:38:52-05

NORFOLK, Va. – A settlement has been reached between the Virginia State Police and then-Norfolk State University student Veron Greenaway, who originally sued the department for excessive use of force that left him injured after a traffic stop in 2017.

Greenaway, who at the time was a senior at Norfolk State, was driving eastbound on I-64 near the Hampton Creek Bridge in Hampton when he drove onto the shoulder to get around a trailer blocking his lane. Trooper Kristian Hughes pulled him over; court documents say that Hughes pulled Greenaway out of his car by the arm, then slammed him to the ground, shattering his jaw.

Court documents go on to say that Hughes disparaged Greenaway, pinning him down, leaving him handcuffed and laying on his stomach while he was bleeding and questioning him without reading him his Miranda rights. Court documents also say that Hughes refused to allow Greenaway to receive medical treatment until the student answered his questions.

Greenaway’s medical bills for the broken jaw totaled more than $40,000, and records stated he required a minimum of $6,500 in dental treatments to correct the damage. Greenaway sued Hughes, as well as two State Police superintendents, for $5 million in “medical expenses, mental anguish, pain and suffering and punitive damages.”

Greenaway dismissed the charges against all three parties, and agreed to dismiss them without attorney’s fees, costs, expenses or interest.

Court documents did not include the settlement amount, as the settlement was confidential.