Cleveland Radio: Rover Attorney Alleges Police Brutality

Shane "Rover" French, the WMMS 100.7 FM radio personality charged in connection with an altercation with an off-duty Cleveland police officer last summer, is a victim of police brutality, his attorney says.

Attorney Larry Zukerman provided The Plain Dealer with photos that he said were taken while French was still in jail following the July 4th weekend incident.

Zukerman said the photos show bruises and red marks caused by officer Steven Kinas.

French, 38, and his radio sidekick, Michael Toomey, 29, both have pleaded not guilty to charges that include assault, criminal damaging, resisting arrest and panic.

Zukerman said French is fighting the trumped up charges because Kinas fabricated much of what he reported took place early the morning of July 5, when the two men had a confrontation over fireworks that French and his friends were setting off.

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In Court July 2013

Kinas, reached Wednesday, said Zukerman and his clients were weaving a fairytale that paints him as the aggressor. It is a story that Kinas said they won't be able to back up in court.

The officer maintains that French was drunk and shouting at him belligerently when he asked French to stop shooting the fireworks because it was after 3 a.m.

Kinas said the red marks on French were likely from him dragging him by his collar to a nearby guard shack. He said the disc jockey kept saying, "I'm Rover, you don't know who I am."

Kinas said since he doesn't listen to "Rover's Morning Glory," French's talk show, he had no idea what he was talking about until he read about the arrest in the newspaper.

French and Toomey on Wednesday filed a list of witnesses they could potentially call during the trial in the case against them that is scheduled for next month. Among the names is national radio personality Howard Stern.

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