A Harrisburg, Pennsylvania, police officer just found himself on the other side of the law after he was named one of two defendants in a federal lawsuit. But this isn’t the first time Officer Marc Howell II’s use of force has been questioned. In fact, just last month he went viral for an altercation with a Black man.
Howell was caught on camera during St. Patrick’s Day weekend pushing an unidentified man twice as a moving car drove by and nearly struck him, according to Penn Live. Police Lt. Kyle Gautsch later said the victim had just been in a fight before getting into it with Howell. The man was among “multiple arrests” Gautsch said, according to Penn Live.
Almost two years later, the same officer has been implicated in a completely different situation dating back to 2023. According to WGAL, Travis Watkins filed a federal lawsuit last week alleging excessive force by Harrisburg police. Howell, along with Officer Esteban Restrepo, are named as defendants.
It all started when Watkins said he was standing in front of his car when a fight broke out nearby, according to the lawsuit. That’s when Restrepo and Howell allegedly intervened, trying to break up the fight. Watkins said he felt the cops were using too much force, so he shouted for them to “Ease up!” That’s when Howell turned his attention to Watkins.
Watkins claimed Howell rushed at him, telling him to “back up” two seconds before spraying him in the face with a chemical irritant spray. Watkins also claimed his hands were up, showing he wasn’t a threat to the officers, and despite that, both Howell and Restrepo allegedly moved to arrest him anyway.
“Stop resisting,” Restrepo allegedly said before dragging Watkins by his dreadlocks. Eventually, Watkins alleged the officers “tackled” him to the ground, breaking one of his teeth. Most disturbingly, Watkins alleged the officers yelled “Tase him!” and “Shoot him!” before placing him in handcuffs and charging him with disorderly conduct, among other offenses.
“It is unreasonable to mace someone and not give them an opportunity to step back any force, any force, than that which is reasonable under the circumstances is excessive force,” Leticia Chavez-Freed, an attorney representing Watkins, said. “And everybody must be held accountable. Officers, citizens, everybody.”