Settlement reached

Schenectady pays $225,000 to handcuffed man who was attacked by police K9.

The city of Schenectady recently paid $225,000 to a 34year-old man who was handcuffed and laying on his stomach when a police K9 attacked him last year as he was being arrested on drug charges.

The incident took place in May 2019 when Schenectady police officers were arresting Ramel Gentry on charges of selling drugs to an informant. Gentry filed a notice of claims against the city three months later, alleging excessive force and negligence.

At the time of his arrest, Gentry climbed from the passenger seat of a vehicle — where the drug sale had just unfolded — and raised his hands before following instructions from officers to lie on his stomach.

His hands were then cuffed behind his back and several officers were standing nearby when a police K9, a German shepherd, suddenly attacked Gentry, tearing at his neck and shoulder, according to the notice of claim.

“Ramel was absolutely defenseless,” Kevin A. Luibrand, Gentry’s attorney, said Saturday when reached for comment. “There’s a long, ugly history of

German shepherds and Black people, and the image of this shepherd clasping onto Mr. Gentry’s neck and shoulder is tough to forget.”

Video of the incident was shown to city officials and the City Council recently authorized the settlement, which has been paid. Luibrand said he was allowed to review the police videos of the incident twice, but that there was no audio made available of what may have been said just before the K9 attacked Gentry.

City police Chief Eric Clifford declined comment on Saturday, saying he could not immediately confirm that the case had been settled. Mayor Gary R. Mccarthy could not immediately be reached for comment.

It’s unclear whether the K9 was given a command to attack Gentry or did it without being instructed by his handler. The claim, which sought $500,000, said Gentry had received severe lacerations that required stitches and incurred medical expenses. He also suffered convulsions due to blood loss.

Gentry, who has been in prison multiple times, was subsequently convicted of criminal possession of a controlled substance, a felony, and is serving three years in state prison. He is eligible to be released on parole in 2022.