Family sues over man's death after RI arrest

WESTERLY, R.I. (AP) — The family of a Connecticut man who died after his arrest says Westerly police used unreasonable and excessive force that amounted to cruel and unusual punishment during the arrest.

The Westerly Sun reports that the lawsuit was filed in U.S. District Court in Providence by the family of Ryan O'Loughlin. It seeks unspecified monetary damages and names officers and the town as defendants.

O'Loughlin, of Mystic, Conn., died in June 2011, about 16 hours after he was arrested and charged with disorderly conduct and resisting arrest outside a Westerly bar. The Connecticut medical examiner ruled his death a homicide from a blow to the abdomen.

A Rhode Island grand jury determined the officers acted lawfully.

Town Manager Steven Hartford cited the grand jury decision and said a lawsuit will not change the facts.

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Information from: The Westerly Sun