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Michigan Woman Sues Police For Alleged Violent Arrest Caught On Video

COLDWATER, Mich. (WWJ/AP) - A woman in southern Michigan is suing local police for allegedly using excessive force during an arrest.

Tiffany McNeil's federal lawsuit alleges that surveillance video shows Coldwater police officers slamming her onto the ground and knocking her unconscious while she was handcuffed outside the local jail.

As seen on the video released by McNeil's attorney, when officers pick her up off the floor, a puddle of blood is revealed.

The woman says she doesn't remember anything between being arrested and waking up in jail, and she didn't know what had happened to her until she saw the video.

"My head and face, my whole body, was bruised pretty badly," she told reporters. "My hair was full of blood. My face was unrecognizable; it was completely swollen and black."

McNeil's attorney says she received 17 stitches and suffered a concussion.

McNeil said no one would tell her what had happened to her face, and lawsuit alleges that officers lied about the incident in police reports. Police reports say McNeil was combative and resisting arrest.

The lawsuit acknowledges McNeil had been drinking when she was arrested on July 24 after her husband called the police during an argument.

McNeil's attorney says she pleaded no contest to domestic violence, and officials dropped a felony charge for resisting a police officer.

City Manager Keith Baker says officials are reviewing the lawsuit.

© Copyright 2017 CBS Broadcasting Inc. All Rights Reserved. The Associated Press contributed to this report.

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