Judge dismisses DAPL lawsuit that claimed excessive force

BISMARCK, N.D. (AP) — A federal judge has thrown out the lawsuit of an Arizona man who claimed North Dakota law enforcement officers injured him and violated his civil rights during the Dakota Access pipeline protests. U.S. District Judge Daniel Traynor ruled that 24-year-old Marcus Mitchell placed himself where he knew less-than-lethal weapons were being used and failed to show that law enforcement officers treated him any differently than anyone else at the protests. Mitchell claimed he was subjected to “excessive violence” by officers who fired beanbag rounds in January 2017 at unarmed protesters, including himself. He sought unspecified money damages.