ORLANDO, Fla. — Rob Liese says he lost two years of work and racked up $75,000 in medical bills after being brutalized by an officer in an Orlando police holding cell.
The incident happened in 2014 and was recorded by surveillance cameras.
Officer Peter Delio was seen kneeing a handcuffed Liese in the stomach.
The attack did a lot of damage, Liese said.
“It ruptured my spleen, tore my mesenteric artery (and) tore my stomach lining,” he said.
Delio was fired and Liese said prosecutors promised they would help him with restitution if he testified in the case against the officer.
Liese testified and Delio was convicted of felony battery and was sentenced to 51 weeks in jail.
Once the case was over, Liese said the restitution talks went nowhere.
“It just seems like everyone else got what they needed, so they no longer needed me,” he said.
Liese said his injuries kept him from working for two years and he’s still dealing with the medical bills.
He said he only wants money for the time he had to take off work and doesn’t want to get rich from the case.
“I don’t want anybody to step up and pay for the rest of my life,” Liese said. “I don’t want anybody to pay for the next five years. I’m only asking to be paid for the two years.”
Cox Media Group
