Justin Savage
Maine resident who became the center of a significant police accountability case after a 2024 arrest by Maine State Police.
Video evidence contradicted the official police account of the incident, leading to Justin Savage filing a federal lawsuit.
Savage and his girlfriend, Shawna Morse, filed a federal lawsuit against the state of Maine; the Maine State Police; MSP Col. William Ross, the leader of the agency; MSP Trooper Jamie Fenderson; MSP Sgt. Adam Schmidt; and Det. Anna Ritland.
MSP officials said that on the night of March 16, 2024, troopers responded to a report of a domestic assault happening on Long Street in Limerick.
State police initially reported that Savage was detained by troopers after he had assaulted Morse in front of their home. But in a revised news release that was shared in May 2024, state police said a neighbor called to report Savage had assaulted Morse in front of their home.
According to state police, Savage became combative and during an ensuing struggle, he landed on Schmidt’s leg and broke his ankle — an injury that reportedly required surgery. Police then accused Savage of biting Fenderson’s hand in an effort to escape, causing two lacerations.
Savage was arrested on charges of domestic violence assault, assault on a police officer, refusing to submit to arrest and disorderly conduct.
A booking photo shared by the York County Jail with Maine’s Total Coverage in March 2024 shows Savage had a black eye, a split lip, and severe swelling on the left side of his face.
The lawsuit claims that Savage and Morse did not understand why troopers responded to their Long Street home, and that the police caused and escalated a conflict.
According to the lawsuit, Savage had his hands cuffed behind his back by Fenderson when Schmidt body slammed Savage onto the driveway, and all three troopers swarmed on top of him.
The lawsuit states that while Savage was being put inside a police cruiser, Fenderson punched and beat his face, drawing blood. The troopers then put leg restraints and a hooded spit mask on Savage, the latter of which caused him to have difficulty breathing that was ignored by the troopers for “an excessive and unreasonable amount of time,” according to the lawsuit.
The lawsuit goes on to state that the troopers removed Savage from the cruiser, laid him on the ground, and held him there. According to the lawsuit, Fenderson once again repeatedly punched and beat Savage’s face.
“At all times, Justin was fully restrained, immobilized, in handcuffs, leg restraints, fully covered with a face mask, and had multiple individuals sitting on and holding him on the ground. Justin did not and could not pose any threat nor protect himself,” the lawsuit states. “Fenderson’s violent punching and beating of Justin’s face was outrageous, unlawful, unjustified, and wrongful, and done with malice, or malice can and should be implied. Justin suffered serious head injuries and lasting severe physical and psychological injuries from the assault.”