TEEN FLED MASKED POLICE, SUIT SAYS

A 15-year-old Milwaukee youth who says he was roughed up last year on the
city's northwest side by what he called masked men wearing black "Ninja
costumes" and carrying guns -- men who turned out to be narcotics officers
- -- is suing the Milwaukee police in federal court.

The youth, Jeffrey O'Neil Marshall, 14 at the time of the incident, says in
the lawsuit that he was peacefully dribbling a basketball on the sidewalk
in front of an apartment building in the 9200 block of W. Birch Ave. when
four men ran at him from behind the building waving guns.

All four men were "dressed in black Ninja costumes," and three wore masks,
Marshall alleges in the lawsuit.

The lawsuit alleges that two of the men were Milwaukee police officers
Daniel Teske and Alfonzo Morales who, showing no visible means of
identification, began running at Marshall "in an agitated and belligerent
manner."

"Plaintiff Marshall saw the masked men with drawn guns and immediately
thought he would be robbed, shot or both, and in a panic fearing for his
life, ran east on Birch," the lawsuit says.

Two blocks away, Marshall saw a Milwaukee police squad car with two
uniformed officers inside and ran to them for help, telling them he was
being chased by robbers with masks and guns, the lawsuit says.

The uniformed officers had Marshall get down behind them, drew their guns
and ordered the masked men to stop, the lawsuit says. Then the masked men
stopped and shouted they were narcotics officers, and Teske then ordered
the uniformed officers to arrest and handcuff Marshall, the lawsuit says.

The lawsuit alleges that Teske, a detective, kneed Marshall in the head
while he lay handcuffed on the ground, pulled the boy's pants down exposing
his buttocks, cursed him and asked him why he didn't stop.

Marshall alleges that he was then taken to police headquarters, booked and
placed in the adult lockup and released nearly nine hours later when he was
given a civil juvenile citation for "obstructing an officer."

Marshall is suing for false imprisonment and false arrest and violation of
his civil rights, alleging that he suffered humiliation, fear and
embarrassment and needed counseling afterward because of the two officers'
actions.

Marshall, an African-American and freshman at Vincent High School at the
time of the Sept. 11, 1997 incident, is asking for $500,000 in compensatory
and punitive damages from the officers.

A spokesman for the Milwaukee Police Department could not be reached for
comment on the lawsuit.