Teen asks charges against him be dropped in aggressive Philly ‘stop and frisk’

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 Police arrested Darrin Manning, 16, (right) while on his way to a school basketball game January 7, 2014. Manning's mother, Ikea Coney (left) and others are asking DA Seth Williams to drop the charges. (Kimberly Paynter/WHYY)

Police arrested Darrin Manning, 16, (right) while on his way to a school basketball game January 7, 2014. Manning's mother, Ikea Coney (left) and others are asking DA Seth Williams to drop the charges. (Kimberly Paynter/WHYY)

The family and supporters of a Philadelphia high school student are seeking to have the assault charges against him dropped.

They say it all started when officers conducted an abusive “stop and frisk” Jan. 7 near the Broad Street Line subway station at Girard Avenue.

 Darrin Manning, 16, required surgery after a female police officer squeezed his genitals, said Lewis Small, the family’s attorney.

“There is absolutely no way a female officer who is present when other males are present, has the right to be squeezing a young boy’s testicles so severely and so violently that she ruptures them.”

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Manning’s principal and others gathered together Wednesday to call on District Attorney Seth Williams to drop the charges of assault and resisting arrest.

Williams is still reviewing the case, including the officers’ conduct, and has no further comment, a representative of the DA’s office said.

Manning’s attorney would not say if the family will file a civil suit against the officers involved and the city. Supporters said they are seeking a federal civil rights review of the case.

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