Misidentification By Police

Summary

Matthew was stopped by police in Pennsylvania due to mistaken identity. He was detained at gunpoint and placed in a police car without being identified or searched. The police released him without charges but did not provide a reason for his release. Matthew is considering filing a civil rights violation claim due to this incident.

Full Conversation

So a month ago I was misidentified for someone else and the cops stopped me at gun point and put me in the back of their car without Id me or searching me and kept telling me I was lying
What state did this incident occur in, ****? This information will help me provide the most accurate legal information for your situation.
Pa
What actions have you taken since the incident occurred? In Pennsylvania, you may have grounds for a civil rights violation claim.
none
What was the reason given by the police for stopping you? In Pennsylvania, police need reasonable suspicion to stop someone.
because we were both on a quad and I had a dark hoodie on
What was the outcome of the police stop? Did they release you without charges or were you charged with a crime?
released without charges after they told me they were gonna still charge me
What was the exact reason they gave for releasing you without charges?
they didn’t give me a reason
What was the exact location of the incident? This will help me provide you with the contact details of the nearest court or legal aid service.
finleyville pa
What was the exact date and time of the incident? This information can be crucial for your case. In Pennsylvania, police need reasonable suspicion to stop someone. If you believe your rights were violated, you may want to consult with a civil rights attorney.
July *
What was the reason the police gave for initially suspecting you? In Pennsylvania, police need reasonable suspicion to stop someone. If they didn't have a valid reason, it could be a violation of your rights.
cause I was on a quad and had a dark hoodie on
Did the police provide any other reasons for suspecting you apart from your clothing and the quad?
no he kept asking me where I dumped my backpack I had but I never had a backpack
Did the police provide any evidence or reason to believe you had a backpack? In Pennsylvania, police need reasonable suspicion to conduct a search or seizure.
because the other dude that they were after had a tan backpack
Did the police eventually find the person they were actually looking for? In Pennsylvania, mistaken identity can be a valid defense in a civil rights violation claim.
i don’t know that but after the whole situation about * minutes I saw the exact dude they were after and he looked completely different from with I looked like
Did you manage to document or record any part of the incident, such as taking photos or videos, or noting down the officers' badge numbers?
no they had me on the ground and in the back of the cop car within a minute
Did you file a complaint with the police department or any other authority about this incident?
no
Have you considered filing a complaint with the local police department or a civil rights violation claim?
yes I just don’t know if what they did was technically legal
What was the reason the police gave for suspecting you were the person they were looking for?
on a quad and dark hoodie
What was the exact location of the incident? This will help me provide you with the contact details of the nearest court or legal aid service.