Prof's suit: Hero cop got rough

COLUMBIA UNIVERSITY professor and noted hip-hop scholar Marc Lamont Hill filed a federal civil-rights lawsuit this week against the Philadelphia Police Department and Officer Richard Decoatsworth, a cop hailed as a hero when he survived a gunshot blast to the face in 2007.

Hill, 31, who lives in Philadelphia, claims that about 12:30 a.m. on June 12, as he was dropping off a childhood friend at 11th Street and Lindley Avenue, in North Philadelphia, Decoatsworth and his partner pulled up behind him and motioned for Hill to move his car. Hill indicated to the cops that he was dropping someone off and they drove away, the suit said.

But as Hill pulled away, he claims, Decoatsworth pulled him over. Although he wouldn't tell him why at first, Decoatsworth's unnamed partner later said that it was for "illegal discharge of a passenger and blocking the street," according to the suit.

Hill claims that during the stop, Decoatsworth and his partner searched his car without a warrant or permission and that Decoatsworth went through his pockets, dragged him out of the car, slammed him against his vehicle, pushed his fist into his back and threatened to take him to jail. Hill claims that Decoatsworth also asked whether he could afford his car, a black BMW, and went through his checkbook.

"I know that there is no law that says you have to look a certain way to drive a certain car," said Leonard K. Hill, Marc Lamont Hill's attorney and brother.

Hill was eventually let go, told to get out of the neighborhood and was not cited or arrested, the suit said.

Leonard Hill said his brother decided to file the suit because of the frequency with which such alleged incidents happen in North and West Philly, but not in wealthier parts of the city like Society Hill and Rittenhouse Square.

"It's not about race; it's about class," Leonard Hill said. "The lower class are the least-believed, the least to speak up and don't have the level of education to even know what to do when it happens.

"It just so happens, with Marc, he pulled over someone who was educated, who had the means, who knew the law and who knew that the police officer's actions were unconstitutional."

Lt. Frank Vanore, a police spokesman, declined to comment, citing the pending litigation. A message left at a number listed for Decoatsworth was not returned.

Hill claims in the suit, filed Tuesday, that the constitutional violations he suffered were the result of "the city's policies, procedures, customs and practices of allowing its officers to make stops without reasonable suspicion, and to use unreasonable and excessive force thereby violating the civil rights of those with whom they come into contact."

Marc Lamont Hill, a former Temple University professor, focuses his research on "hip-hop culture, politics, sexuality, education and religion," according to his website. He is a frequent commentator on Fox News, and also appears on CNN and MSNBC. Hill has written two books and is an associate professor of education at Columbia's Teachers College.

Hill, a Philadelphia native and resident, was named in 2005 as one of Ebony magazine's top-30 black leaders under 30. He was named a Daily News Sexy Single in 2007.

In September 2007, Decoats- worth, then a rookie cop, was shot in the face during a West Philadelphia traffic stop, but despite his wounds, he chased the suspect for two blocks. In February 2009, he sat next to first lady Michelle Obama during President Obama's first address to a joint session of Congress.

In April 2009, Decoatsworth got into a struggle with a man who tried to take his gun. The gun discharged and shot the man, who was later killed by another cop. In September 2009, Decoats-worth shot another man after he tried to run over Decoatsworth with his motorcycle during a traffic stop, police said. The suspect survived the shooting.

Although Decoatsworth was hailed as a hero in light of those instances, Leonard Hill said they may bring into question his conduct on the street.

"Officer Decoatsworth has an interesting history with very violent confrontations over the last three to four years," Leonard Hill said.