Black Student Beaten After Entering 'Wrong' Door, Lawsuit Claims

A Night of Conflict and Legal Consequences

It was after midnight when Devin Johnson, a 20-year-old student and football player at Miami University, entered a bar in Ohio. His night took a dramatic turn when he was shoved out by several employees, who continued to push him down the sidewalk until a police officer arrived and punched him several times on the back of his head.

Johnson had been celebrating with teammates after winning a game against the University of Buffalo, securing a spot in the Mid-American Conference championship game. However, his celebration ended abruptly when he stepped out of the Brick Street bar in Oxford for some fresh air. According to a federal lawsuit filed on November 18, he had already paid a cover charge to enter the bar.

When he tried to walk back into the bar, he entered through a gated door that was meant for exit only, which led to employees shoving him back out. The incident escalated quickly, with Johnson being pushed down the sidewalk and tackled to the ground. The situation became even more intense when a police officer joined in, punching Johnson multiple times on the back of his head.

Details of the Incident

The incident occurred during the early hours of November 18, 2023, as the bar was packed with college students celebrating Miami University’s victory. The lawsuit describes Johnson as a “paying customer” who stepped out of the bar at 1 a.m. for fresh air but found the gate locked when he tried to re-enter.

The video footage shows Johnson attempting to open the gate before walking down the sidewalk to another door. He then walked into another exit gate after spotting two women walking out, only to be confronted by bar employees who shoved him back out. The video reveals that Johnson shoved an employee back after being shoved outside, prompting several employees to start shoving him down the sidewalk and tackle him.

Oxford police officer Matthew Blauvelt, who was working security for the bar, was the first to arrive and began punching Johnson several times on the back of his head. Another officer, Paul Hellwarth, then arrived and began kneeing Johnson on the side of his body while he was being held down by the other cop and bar employees.

According to the claim: After being held in an uncomfortable position by Brick Street employees, Devin attempted to adjust his position. He was otherwise subdued by the Brick Street employees, unable to sit up or stand, and was no threat to anyone around him, including without limitation Officer Blauvelt. Upon adjusting his body, however, Blauvelt forcibly pushed Devin to the ground by his face. By that point, Blauvelt still hadn’t announced himself as a police officer and had given Devin no instructions.

Officer Blauvelt then delivered three closed-fisted strikes to the back of Devin’s head and neck. At that point, Blauvelt still hadn’t identified himself as a police officer, delivered any instructions to Devin, or placed Devin under arrest. And Devin still couldn’t see who was punching him. Nor did he have any way of knowing that Blauvelt was a police officer.

Legal Proceedings and Aftermath

The lawsuit lists both cops as defendants along with the city of Oxford and the owner of the bar, Mark Weisman, accusing the owner of having a “private security force” provided by the city. It also accuses Weisman of refusing to release video footage from the bar, claiming that none of the cameras captured it on video.

However, on December 26, 2023, more than a month after the incident, a video that had been recorded by a witness showing the cop punching Johnson went viral on TikTok, which led to Blauvelt being placed on administrative leave. The bar owners then released videos of the incident on January 3, 2024, explaining they did not do so earlier because it was not “relevant” – which is debatable.

In the Spring of 2024, Devin was found guilty of misdemeanor charges of assault and resisting arrest for which he received one year of probation along with a $1,000 fine. But the claim states it is not challenging the conviction, only the manner in how he was physically assaulted.

“He challenges only objectively unreasonable force used against him by the police in connection with the minor misdemeanors for which he was convicted and for which he served no jail time,” the claim states.

He further challenges the role of Brick Street Bar and Weisman as a co-conspirator with the City and OPD.

Johnson has since transferred to Indiana State University where he plays defensive end for the school’s football team. But the incident from the Brick Street bar still affects him today.

“The events of November 18, 2023, and its aftermath have left Devin with anxiety, PTSD, and stress due to his encounters with the police,” the claim states.