Man sues Hampton Police for $66 million

Hampton, Va. (WAVY) - A man is suing the Hampton Police Department, its chief and several officers for $66 million for allegedly putting a flashlight down his pants and inserting a hard object in his rectum.

The plaintiff, Kirby Johnson, a 21-year-old African-American grocery store employee, says that on July 7, 2007 officers pulled him over as he was driving on Mallory Street. In his lawsuit, Johnson alleges the officers had no probable cause or reasonable suspicion to stop him and that "for no other reason than the color of his skin, he was pulled over by the police officers."

Johnson says one officer put a flashlight down the front of his pants and then inserted the object in his rectum. In Norfolk Federal Court Monday Johnson's attorney, Verbena Askew, said her client mentioned the alleged assault for the first time two years later when talking with his therapist.

The city and the police department deny the allegations. The judge said he will decide on April 6 whether the case should be thrown out or go to a jury.