Photo: KSTP/Matt Belanger
Pipes near Dakota Access Pipeline work site
Photo: KSTP/Matt Belanger
Pipes near Dakota Access Pipeline work site
Updated: July 19, 2019 11:07 AM
A man who was injured during protests against the Dakota Access pipeline in January 2017 has filed a lawsuit accusing North Dakota law enforcement of using "excessive violence."
The lawsuit filed Thursday names Morton County, the city of Bismarck and state Highway Patrol officers.
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The complaint says officers fired shotgun beanbag rounds at peaceful, unarmed protesters and that one shattered the orbital wall of Marcus Mitchell's left eye, wounding his cheekbone and the skin near his eye.
The suit says 24-year-old Mitchell, a Navajo tribal member who lives in New Mexico, underwent treatment but still suffers from vision, hearing and smell problems. He's seeking unspecified damages.
The Bismarck Tribune reports that representatives for the three entities Mitchell is suing didn't comment on the lawsuit.
RELATED: Opponents want hearing on Dakota Access Pipeline expansion
Law enforcement has denied using excessive force against the pipeline protesters.
The Associated Press
Updated: July 19, 2019 11:07 AM
Published: July 19, 2019 12:00 AM
(Copyright 2019 by The Associated Press. All Rights Reserved.)
