The Portland Press Herald reports that a Portland woman agreed on Oct. 13 to a $54,000 settlement of her federal lawsuit against Maine State Police Trooper Hunter Belanger and his supervisor, Lt. Aaron Turcotte, according to an agreement provided by the Maine Attorney General's Office. The woman alleged Belanger grabbed her, flipped her into the air and slammed her to the ground after she walked away when he asked to speak with her, then pinned her with his knee and slammed her against his car. She also alleged Turcotte allowed similar conduct during a January 2024 arrest in Readfield. Belanger and Turcotte denied the allegations in court filings, which state Belanger secured her and took her to the ground, and said any injury was her own fault. The parties agreed to dismiss the claims.
Why it matters
The settlement resolves the lawsuit without a court finding of wrongdoing, and both men denied the allegations in court filings. The case follows another recent lawsuit against a Maine State Police trooper alleging excessive force.
Settlement: A settlement ends a claim without proving it, and usually involves no admission of wrongdoing. The money usually comes from the government or its insurer. Researched with AI assistance from the sources listed here and reviewed under our methodology.