Mother Suing Over Alleged Police Assault

A mother is suing the city of Carlsbad, California, after she says police allegedly assaulted her in front of her children on the way home from a birthday party in 2013.

The 2013 incident was caught on cell phone video and shows officers pinning Cindy Hahn during the arrest.

Her lawyer, Mark Geragos, filed a federal lawsuit on behalf of Hahn against the city of Carlsbad and five officers. The lawsuit claims that Hahn "suffers permanent memory loss and brain trauma" as a result of the beating, and that the police reports filed about the incident were false.

"The only thing correct in this, in the documents that they filed with the court is the spelling of her name," Geragos added.

The Carlsbad Police Department said in a statement, "We are prepared to provide a complete and detailed account of the facts of this incident in a courtroom, including what is not shown on the video released by the plaintiff's attorney."

Hahn said the situation started when she asked a police officer about a car alarm that was going off. Hahn says she called the non-emergency police hotline to complain about the officer's response.

Immediately after, Hahn said that same officer pulled her over for an alleged seatbelt violation. The next thing she knew, Hahn says, she was pinned to the ground.

"I was reaching for him for help. And what he did next. I have a lot of ... issues with memory from the blow," Hahn said.

Hahn originally faced up to two years in jail, charged with resisting arrest and battery. But according to Geragos, once the district attorney saw the video, those charges were dropped.