Sandlin v. Osborn et al

On October 7, 2025, Marcus Sandlin, a 24-year-old African American graduate student, was stopped by Officers James Osborn and Elena Ruiz of the Ridgewood Police Department while walking home from a library in Ridgewood, Ohio. The officers suspected Sandlin of matching a vague burglary suspect description. Sandlin questioned the stop, leading to a rapid escalation. Officer Osborn allegedly slammed Sandlin to the ground and kneeled on his back, while Officer Ruiz failed to intervene. Sandlin suffered three fractured ribs, a collapsed lung, and psychological trauma. Body-camera footage partially captured the incident. Sandlin filed a federal lawsuit under 42 U.S.C. § 1983 alleging excessive use of force, false arrest, and failure to intervene. The case drew national attention after the footage was leaked to the press in early 2026, sparking protests in Ridgewood and renewing calls for police reform and accountability.

As of June 2026, the U.S. District Court for the Southern District of Ohio denied the defendants’ motion for summary judgment, finding genuine disputes of material fact regarding the reasonableness of the force and the initial stop. A jury trial is scheduled for November 2026. The City of Ridgewood has entered into preliminary settlement negotiations, but a final agreement has not been reached.

Whether Officer Osborn’s use of force was objectively unreasonable in violation of the Fourth Amendment; whether the officers had reasonable suspicion to initiate the stop; and whether Officer Ruiz can be held liable for failure to intervene to prevent the constitutional violation.

The case intensified the national debate on police use of force and qualified immunity. Leaked body-camera footage prompted widespread protests and led the Ohio legislature to consider bills mandating de-escalation training and stricter use-of-force reporting. The incident also fueled community demands for independent oversight of the Ridgewood Police Department and contributed to a 15% decline in public trust in local law enforcement, as measured by a 2026 Pew survey.