Four people arrested during last year's protest march across the Roebling Suspension Bridge have filed lawsuits against the city of Covington and police officers alleging excessive use of force.
Brandon Hill, Suzanne Bratt and Logan Imber have filed lawsuits in federal court. Taylor Marshall filed a similar lawsuit in Kenton County Circuit Court.
The four were among 15 people arrested during the July 17, 2025 march across the bridge that started as a vigil protesting the Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) arrest of Egyptian immigrant Ayman Soliman.
About 100 people participated in the march, which protesters maintain was peaceful. Covington Police began arresting marchers approximately a minute after issuing a dispersal order.
Shortly after police gave the order to disperse, Officer Zachary Stayton was seen on video, including some captured by WVXU, repeatedly punching Hill in the head as Hill was face down on the ground on the walkway on the east side of the bridge.
Police say Hill approached an officer in the middle of the bridge with his fists balled in a "fighting stance" during the march and then grabbed at the officer's non-lethal projectile gun. Another Covington police officer testified Hill made motions that looked like reaching into a bag he had with him, leading officers to believe he had a gun.
Hill disputes this version of events. He still faces felony riot charges and other counts in Kenton County courts related to the march. A judge ruled there is sufficient evidence for prosecutors to pursue those charges, but a grand jury has not yet handed down an indictment.
Hill's federal lawsuit alleges the city of Covington failed to train its officers properly and that Stayton and an unnamed second officer used excessive force during the arrest.
"Defendant Stayton retaliated against him for exercising his First Amendment rights; used excessive force against him, and deprived him of his procedural and substantive due process rights protected by the Fifth and Fourteenth Amendments to the United States Constitution," the filing reads.
According to his lawsuit, Hill suffered injuries to his leg, head, jaw and arm, requiring use of a sling. He still experiences anxiety and memory issues from the incident, the filing alleges.
"These injuries resulted in Hill both missing work (approximately six weeks) and being assigned to 'light duty' by his employer upon his return," the lawsuit reads. "Hill required months of physical therapy to return to physical health, including exercises to resolve the impairments to his mobility and cognition caused by Defendants."
Imber's federal lawsuit makes similar First and Fourth Amendment claims and names Stayton as well as Covington Police Officer Kenzy Hotaling and Police Specialist Mandie Appleman in addition to the City of Covington.
The filing alleges Imber had been tased and was already restrained by another officer when Stayton punched her in the head, pulled her hair and pushed her face into the sidewalk. The lawsuit claims Hotaling and Appleman could have intervened during the incident and did not.
The filing notes that Covington "found, in its own words, that Specialist Stayton 'failed to de-escalate once the threat of further assault had been mitigated.' "
Stayton received a one-month unpaid suspension from the Covington Police Department as a result of his actions toward Imber on the bridge.
Bratt's lawsuit names the City of Covington and officer Ross Woodward and claims Woodward's actions violated Bratt's constitutional rights. According to the filing, Woodward seized Bratt from behind and took her to the ground despite the fact she was trying to comply with orders to disperse by navigating a tricky stretch of cabling between the bridge and its walkway.
According to the lawsuit, the takedown left Bratt with bruising, abrasions and psychological trauma.
"Officer Woodward’s use of force against Suzanne was objectively unreasonable because: (a) the crime for which she was ultimately convicted was a minor, non-violent Class B misdemeanor; (b) she posed no threat whatsoever to the safety of Officer Woodward, other officers, or bystanders; (c) she was not actively or passively resistant before, during, or after her arrest; and (d) she posed no risk evading arrest by flight," the filing reads.
Marshall's suit in Kenton County Circuit Court also names Woodward along with the city and an unnamed officer, saying officers retaliated against him for exercising his First Amendment rights.
The filing says Woodward hit Marshall on the head multiple times, using excessive force and causing a concussion and later memory loss along with other issues. The suit alleges Marshall has missed work and opportunities for employment due to those injuries.
Marshall and Imber faced felony rioting charges, but recently pleaded down to misdemeanors. A jury found Bratt guilty of failure to disperse, a misdemeanor, earlier this year.
All four lawsuits seek jury trials, compensation for injuries and trauma, punitive damages and legal fees.
The City of Covington issued a statement saying the protest on the bridge created significant public safety concerns and pointing out that certain defendants had faced felony charges.
In a news release last November, Covington Police Chief Justin Wietholter defended the department's overall response to the march. The chief said all officers will receive additional training related to de-escalation and responding to unlawful protests.
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