Federal Appeal Filed After Man Dies from Torn Femoral Artery, Lawsuit Against Montgomery Dismissed

By: Leon Kwasi Kuntuo-Asare

In Montgomery, Alabama  an attorney has filed a federal appeal challenging the dismissal of a lawsuit against the City of Montgomery, following the death of his client. Joseph Lee Pettaway, 51, died from a torn femoral artery, according to his attorney, Griffin Sikes, Jr.

Sikes filed the appeal in federal court last week. The move comes after a district judge previously dismissed the lawsuit Pettaway had brought against the city.

The deadly mauling was caught caught on police cameras, however,  the video was deemed to gruesome by the Alabama judge to be released to the public.

According to the Atlanta BlackStar:

those who have watched it say Montgomery police not only allowed the dog inside a house to attack the man who had committed no crime, several cops stood around as he was dying, mocking and laughing at him while refusing to provide life-saving aid because they were prohibited from doing so by department policy. Instead, they waited for paramedics to arrive.

As a result, Joseph Lee Pettaway, 51, died from a torn femoral artery, according to his attorney, Griffin Sikes, Jr., who filed an appeal last week in federal court after a district judge dismissed the lawsuit against the city of Montgomery.


For Additional information use link below:

https://atlantablackstar.com/2025/04/22/cops-can-be-heard-laughing-and-joking-after-allowing-police-dog-to-attack-and-kill-innocent-black-man-family-lawyer-says/