Frank Nitty files lawsuit against Milwaukee County deputies for arrest during protest in June

MILWAUKEE (CBS 58) -- Community activist Frank "Nitty" Sensabaugh has filed a lawsuit against Milwaukee County and Milwaukee County deputies. 

The lawsuit stems from incident on June 2, when Nitty was arrested by Milwaukee County deputies. 

CBS 58 reported at the time that Nitty was seen in a Facebook live video leading a George Floyd protest to the Hoan Bridge. A number of protesters continued their movement to I-794, but things escalated. In the video, deputies throw what appears to be tear gas canisters toward the crowd. One of them charged toward Nitty taking him down. 

"Mr. Nitty has been advocating for many, many years for racial and economic justice and after he was singled out, targeted, taken to the ground, cut up, arrested, deputies lie about him, it was very important to put it in a legal document and bring the lawsuit and put forward the policies that have to be discussed and the changes have to be made if we’re going to get past this continuing recurrence of African-American men being singled out and excessive force being used," said attorney Mark Thomsen, who is representing Nitty. 

The lawsuit states Nitty "was unlawfully taken from the hospital to a police station where he was interrogated, for exercising his constitutionally guaranteed right to oppose racially biased policing."

The lawsuit also says Nitty needed stitches. 

"I look forward to taking the deposition of the deputies and the sergeants and find out, I want to know whether they had orders to go get Mr. Nitty just because of his voice and his platform with other leaders in this community," Thomsen said. 

The lawsuit also alleges that in the report following Nitty's arrest, deputies lied about him holding and swinging a glass water bottle and there being a busted glass bottle, along with a backpack full of busted glass belonging to Nitty, on the freeway where he was arrested. 

As part of the lawsuit, there is a section that includes policy language that should be adopted by Milwaukee County, including anti-racism and anti-discrimination training. The lawsuit also calls for deputies to wear body cameras. 

CBS 58 reached out to the Milwaukee County Sheriff's Office and the Milwaukee County Executive's Office, but have not yet heard back.