Jovan Jimenez still gets confused; the excruciating headaches and terrible nausea are still unbearable even though it has been more than four months since he suffered injuries that left him brain damaged.

His assailant was a police officer, an honorable member of the San Diego Police Department – who received much recognition earlier this year for his role in breaking up an auto theft ring.




The reasons behind the assault

Jimenez is a businessman from Riverside, who was on holiday at Harrah’s Southern California Resort Hotel earlier this year.

On July 12, he got into an argument with another guest. The quarrel escalated and staff ended up calling police. San Diego County Sheriff’s Deputy Jeffrey Cruz was one of the officers who responded.

The cops chose to arrest Jimenez and he cooperated with them; however, a verbal comment in one of the hallways of the hotel led to the deputy beating his handcuffed victim to the point of unconsciousness.

Fortunately, for Jimenez who is now suing the department, the incident was captured on surveillance video.

Since the footage contains no sound, it is visible that there may have been an exchange of words between a handcuffed Jimenez and Cruz, who was walking beside him. Seconds later the cop wraps his hands around his victim’s neck then smashes him against the wall and slams him to the ground.

Next, the infuriated member of law enforcement is seen pulling out a long cylindrical object and whacking Jimenez across his head with it.




The beating left the man unconscious and he was later taken to hospital by paramedics, where he received 12 staples on his head.

We now know the object that was used to bash him across his head was the officer’s torch light, he also suffered bruises on his side and a knee wound.

Pursuing the legal option

Jimenez has decided to sue the San Diego County sheriff’s office for a total of $ 20 million – half of this amount is for punitive damages and the rest for compensatory damages.

The civil case is using the surveillance footage is evidence.

Jimenez’s lawyer Jerry Steering points to the fact that his client was dressed in shorts and he was not wearing a shirt socks or shoes, so whether he was carrying a weapon was out of question.

“You can’t justify taking a handcuffed man and slamming him against the wall, slamming him on the floor and then hitting his head repeatedly with a cylindrical object,” he remarked.

Commenting on what his client said to the officer, the attorney says it was something trivial, which certainly did not warrant a response so violent.

“It was something to the effect of, ‘Gee, aren’t you miserable? You’ve got to be working as a policeman now while I’m having fun with all these nice women here in this nice hotel’. ” 

The local prosecutor has made the decision not to investigate the incident.




The District attorney’s Public Information Officer Tanya Sierra says this is unnecessary.

“The San Diego County District Attorney’s Office only investigates incidents in which a peace officer discharges a firearm,” she explained.

Steering adds had it not been for the surveillance video, Jimenez would have been charged with using or threatening the use of force or violence against police officer.

Watch the video below: