A civil rights lawsuit is putting allegations of police brutality in the spotlight on Long Island after dashcam footage captured a Suffolk County traffic stop that ended with a Black motorist being punched repeatedly in the face and head by an officer.
The video, released publicly this week, has quickly become the centerpiece of a civil rights case brought by Craig Manning, who claims officers used excessive force during what began as a routine traffic stop in Medford.
According to Newsday, the April 2 encounter started after officers accused Manning of making an illegal left turn. Video from a dashboard camera inside Manning’s Fiat 500 shows him pulling over and asking to speak with a supervisor while recording the interaction on his cellphone.
Moments later, Officer Robert Rufrano opened the passenger-side door, knocked the phone from Manning’s hand, and attempted to pull him from the vehicle. As officers struggled to remove him, Rufrano can be seen striking Manning multiple times with a closed fist.
The footage captures one of the encounter’s most striking moments. After being hit repeatedly, Manning looks toward the officer and says, “Are you having fun? Punch me again!” According to the lawsuit, the confrontation left him with a concussion, two black eyes, a forehead laceration, and other injuries.
Manning was later charged with resisting arrest and traffic-related offenses, though a judge has since granted an adjournment in contemplation of dismissal, meaning the charges are expected to be dropped if he remains out of legal trouble through June 22.
At a press conference in Hempstead, civil rights attorney Frederick Brewington argued the stop escalated unnecessarily from the outset. “The evidence in this case shows this is a police officer who not only escalated the situation but was completely out of control,” Brewington said.
He also alleged Manning was targeted because he is African American and noted that Manning had installed the dashcam because he feared being subjected to aggressive policing while driving. “This was unreasonable, unnecessary use of force,” Brewington added.
The case is drawing additional attention because it arrives against the backdrop of a long and controversial history involving the Suffolk County Police Department. Over the last decade, the department has faced federal oversight, allegations of racial discrimination, and multiple civil rights lawsuits.
In 2023, Suffolk County agreed to a settlement in a class-action lawsuit accusing officers of systematically targeting Latino residents for traffic stops, harassment, and property theft.
The department also operated for years under a Justice Department settlement agreement requiring reforms to its policing of Latino communities, including hate-crime tracking, misconduct investigations and bias-complaint handling.
Other cases have fueled scrutiny as well. A 2020 lawsuit alleged Suffolk officers beat a handcuffed Latino man, used racial slurs, and attempted to conceal evidence.
Years earlier, former Suffolk Police Chief James Burke was sentenced to federal prison after orchestrating a cover-up related to the assault of a suspect in police custody.
Suffolk County police have declined to comment on Manning’s lawsuit, citing pending litigation, though the department has confirmed the matter was referred to Internal Affairs.
Meanwhile, the Suffolk Police Benevolent Association has publicly defended the officers' actions, arguing Manning refused lawful orders and resisted arrest, and that he “created the situation entirely.”
