Pa. State Police Brutality Case in Court

Arguments are underway in federal court in a police brutality case involving a Vestal native.

36-Year-old Robert Leone accused Pennsylvania State Police in Towanda of punching, kicking and stomping on him following a fender-bender on Route 6 in Bradford County.

Leone had been charged with 24 counts and convicted on four in August of 2010.  The charges include assault, reckless endangerment and attempting to flee police.

He served two and a half years in jail on the conviction.

Authorities say Leone had a large amount of amphetamines in his system when he was taken into custody. His lawyers say the man had been prescribed medication for treatment of a mental illness.

The civil lawsuit, now being heard by a jury, was filed in March of 2012.