NJ man falsely arrested for entering his home gets brutal beating, lawsuit says 

🔴 Fair Lawn man says he was beaten unconscious by other inmates after officers labeled him a “rat.”

🔴 His lawsuit claims police wrongfully charged him after he entered his own apartment.

FORT LEE — A New Jersey man suffered multiple skull fractures and a broken jaw during a jail beating after he was arrested for going into his own apartment, according to a lawsuit.

The federal lawsuit filed on Sept. 28 claims that Giuseppe Aiello's civil rights were violated by the Bergen County Sheriff's Office and the Fair Lawn police.

The 53-year-old Fair Lawn man says his constitutional rights were violated. New Jersey 101.5 has reached out to Aiello's attorney for comment.

Arrest after entering his own apartment

Aiello was arrested at his apartment in Fair Lawn on June 2, 2024, he says in the lawsuit.

According to court papers, Aiello returned to his apartment on Henderson Avenue after spending some time away at the request of his landlord.

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When he got back, a man who was not the property owner moved his belongings to the garage and changed the locks.

Aiello then climbed into his apartment through a basement window so he could let in his girlfriend and dog. The man, who was not his landlord, then called the police to report a "problematic tenant."

Police bodycam video showed the officers discussing how they would “figure it out later." SWAT was then called after Aiello had already been arrested, the lawsuit said.

Claims of retaliation and false arrest

Aiello claims the arrest was retaliation for complaints he made about his landlord, which were protected by the First Amendment.

He also says the man who called the police was a friend of the police department, which played a role in furthering what he calls an unlawful arrest.

Jail records show he was charged with third-degree burglary, third-degree criminal mischief, and obstruction.

Aiello was taken to Bergen County Jail. His dog was taken to a nearby animal shelter.

Beaten unconscious in Bergen County Jail

Aiello spent nearly five months at Bergen County Jail before he was released on Oct. 28, 2024.

He was sentenced in February to four years of probation for fourth-degree criminal mischief.

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He claims that during his time behind bars, correctional officers labeled him as a "rat" in front of other inmates.

Aiello was then ambushed in his cell by other inmates around one month before his release. The brutal beating left him unconscious.

Serious injuries, surgery, and lack of follow-up care

Aiello's injuries from the assault included orbital fractures, facial fractures, and a broken jaw that required titanium plates. He lost five teeth and suffered vision impairment.

After the attack, Aiello spent two days in the hospital and needed emergency surgery.

He claims he was then sent back to jail without any arrangements for follow-up care to address his dizziness and inability to chew.

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