Civil rights attorney calls for justice after Brevard man was left paralyzed from police encounter

PALM BAY, Fla. — A renowned civil rights attorney, Benjamin Crump, is calling for justice for his 32-year-old client, Thomas Farley.

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Attorney Crump said the Palm Bay Police Department left his client paralyzed.

Wednesday morning, Thomas Farley’s family joined Crump in Melbourne near Holmes Regional Medical Center to address the allegations.

Farley has been in the hospital since the June incident that left him paralyzed from the neck down.

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According to Crump, Farley stopped at a Palm Bay convenience store after work and recognized an acquaintance standing with a group of men.

Officers were responding to a call about suspicious people hanging around the area and being aggressive. At the sight of the police, all the men, including Farley, took off running.

Crump said Farley hadn’t committed any crime but was still fearful.

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Retired police chief offers insight into Palm Bay police chase that left a man paralyzed According to the police report, Farley was attempting to jump a fence to flee, and the officers tased him. (WFTV)

According to the police report, Farley was attempting to jump a fence to flee, and the officers tased him.

Police said, Farley placed his hands and feet onto the fence, and due to his weight, he fell forward, causing the fence to break and cause him to fall face forward onto the ground.

Farley broke his neck during the interaction and was paralyzed from the neck down.

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“We are here demanding that the charges be dropped against Thomas Farley so he can get the medical help he needs.” Crump said, “So one day, miraculously, he might be able to walk. That is our demand.”

Farley is charged with possession of a controlled substances, loitering and prowling, and resisting officers without violence.

“When an officer uses any force on an individual, a complete review is conducted that includes reviewing all body camera footage and every written report including all supplemental ones. This case is no different. The moment my office was notified of this incident a thorough examination was conducted through our Professional Standards Division and our Training Sergeant who is a Master Taser Instructor. After an extensive review, it was determined that the officer legally and justifiably used his taser. The officer followed departmental policy, procedure and Florida State Statute.

The Palm Bay Police Department will continue serving our community with integrity, honor, and respect. We are committed to ensuring any incident involving a use of force is thoroughly reviewed and officers are held accountable for their actions.”

—  Palm Bay Police Chief Mario Augello

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