Chesapeake, Va. – A former Chesapeake Police officer accused of using excessive force on an elderly woman in 2014 is getting a second chance.
The Chesapeake Police Department has rehired Joel Ayala-Acevedo just five months after he was fired for the incident, which cost the city $50,000.
Ruth Davenport, 71, filed a lawsuit against the city in November of 2014 for $500,000. She claims two police officers Joel Ayala-Acevedo and Anthony Echevarria were at her house to serve a search warrant for her son when one officer grabbed her by the arm, pushed her into a wall and threw her to the ground.
Davenport’s lawyer S.W. Dawson says he was confident he and Davenport would have won the $500,000 dollar lawsuit if it went to trial, but both Davenport and the city agreed to settle for $50,000.
Back in November, Chesapeake Police did tell us Officer Joel Ayala-Acevedo was no longer with force, but they wouldn't tell us if he resigned or if he was fired.
After hearing that Ayala-Acevedo was back on the force, Davenport had this to say.
"If that’s the kind of person they want on the force I guess that’s their decision, not mine."
Davenport says she is at peace with what happened last March. Even with Ayala-Acevedo coming back to the Chesapeake Police Department.
"Ayala is the least of my thoughts everyday. I just hope he is kind to the next old lady that he sees," she said.
While Davenport has moved on mentally, her body hasn't completely healed from the incident. She says she still has to see a Chiropractor regularly because of the way she says police handled her.
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