University Students Can Proceed With Excessive Force Lawsuit

SALISBURY, Md. (AP) -- A judge has allowed four Salisbury University students to proceed with their civil-rights lawsuit against the city.

The Daily Record reports last week, a judge rejected the city's request to dismiss the lawsuit, which says that the Salisbury Police Department has a pattern or custom of targeting and harassing the university's students. The lawsuit was filed last September.

In the lawsuit, the students say that former police officer Justin Aita used excessive force in falsely arresting them in May 2014.

Three of the students were charged with failure to obey a reasonable and lawful order, but were later found not guilty. The fourth student was never charged.

Attorney John F. Breads Jr., who represents the city and Aita, says that neither he nor his clients comment on pending litigation.