Michael Kenyon Spent More Than One Month in Burn Unit Recovering From Horrific Burns
PHOENIX, AZ, October 30, 2024—DiCello Levitt’s Bobby DiCello and The People’s Law Firm’s Steve Benedetto have been retained by Michael Kenyon, a Phoenix man who spent more than one month in the hospital recovering from third-degree burns after Phoenix police officers held him against the hot asphalt for over four minutes.
“They tortured him. They held a man — another human being — on a surface so hot that it caused his skin to bubble and boil. It defies all reason,” DiCello said. “What’s critical here is that Michael was not even charged with a crime in conjunction with this, and he is now scarred for life. We must stand against this horrific behavior and make sure the officers are held accountable, as we fight for meaningful change.”
On July 6, Phoenix police officers stopped Kenyon as he was crossing a parking lot to go to a convenience store before swimming with his nephew. Police say Kenyon matched the description of a suspect in a laptop theft. He did not. After a brief discussion, Kenyon, who was leaning against a car bumper, went to stand and was taken to the ground by officers. They pinned him against the ground for over four minutes. It was 114 degrees and sunny that day, with the asphalt estimated between 180 and 200 degrees.
When officers lifted Kenyon off the asphalt, his melted skin peeled off and fell to the ground. Officers had to assist him in walking, as he was unable to stand on his own. As he was brought to his feet, another officer noticed his burns and called for an ambulance. He would spend over 30 days in a burn unit having his wounds cleaned, debrided, and treated — the first week of which he was surveilled and monitored by police.
“It is not an isolated incident by the Phoenix police. We are aware of at least two other incidents of individuals being pressed against the ground and horrifically burned,” Benedetto said. “Michael is going to carry these scars for the rest of his life. He wants to make sure this doesn’t happen to anyone — particularly the most vulnerable in our society who may not have the support he does. We will fight vigorously for that.”
About Bobby DiCello
Bobby DiCello, a nationally renowned trial lawyer who has earned multimillion-dollar verdicts, devotes himself to gaining justice for people whose lives have been destroyed by the powerful and the reckless. A former prosecutor, Bobby champions systemic change and is a pioneer in trial science. His accomplishments in the courtroom have been recognized by outlets such as ABC News, for whom he provided ongoing, real-time analysis on the landmark civil rights trial in its series, The Death of George Floyd – Derek Chauvin on Trial. In 2021, Public Justice, a national legal advocacy organization, recognized Bobby with its prestigious Trial Lawyers of the Year award for his work on the landmark Black v. Hicks case. Mr. Arnold Black was a victim of appalling brutality and corruption in the City of East Cleveland, Ohio. Bobby tried Black’s case to a jury that awarded a record $50 million—a verdict sustained by the U.S. Supreme Court.
About DiCello Levitt
At DiCello Levitt, we’re dedicated to achieving justice for our clients through class action, environmental, mass tort, securities, financial services, antitrust, business-to-business, public client, whistleblower, personal injury, and civil and human rights litigation. Our lawyers are highly respected for their ability to litigate and win cases—whether by trial, settlement, or otherwise—for people who have suffered harm, global corporations that have sustained significant economic losses, and public clients seeking to protect their citizens’ rights and interests. Every day, we put our reputations—and our capital—on the line for our clients.
DiCello Levitt has achieved top recognition as Plaintiffs Firm of the Year and Trial Innovation Firm of the Year by the National Law Journal, in addition to its top-tier Chambers and Benchmark ratings. For more information about the firm, including recent trial victories and case resolutions, please visit www.dicellolevitt.com.
About The People’s Law Firm
The People’s Law Firm was founded in Phoenix, Arizona in 2014, after Steve Benedetto was inspired to leave his legal career to start a civil rights firm following the murder of Michael Brown in Ferguson, Missouri. In the last decade, The PLF has represented the families of victims of police shootings, survivors of state violence, and First Amendment demonstrators. In 2021 the PLF helped to expose, and ultimately litigate, one of the largest law enforcement conspiracies in Arizona history, triggering multiple independent investigations, a series of high-profile resignations, and dramatic policy changes in the Phoenix Police Department and Maricopa County Attorney’s Office. Currently, The PLF takes on civil rights and injury cases in Arizona, California, and Colorado. Learn more at the-plf.com.
Media Contact
Caitlin Whitehurst, Director of Communications, [email protected], 513-582-3532