Testicle crushed during arrest gets man $245,000

ALBUQUERQUE (KRQE) – The City of Albuquerque is paying out $245,000 in the civil suit against an Albuquerque Police officer who kneed a man in the groin, crushing his testicle.

The city settled a civil lawsuit two years after video of a controversial DWI arrest got a lot of attention.

Former Albuquerque Police Department Officer Pablo Padilla stopped Univiersity of New Mexico Law student Jeremy Martin on suspicion of drinking and driving.

Then, the lawsuit accuses Padilla of losing his temper and attacking Martin.

“Stop using aggressive force. Don’t kick me in the nuts,” Martin is heard telling Padilla in lapel video from the incident.

“Get on the ground,” Padilla responded.

Padilla kneed Martin in the groin, hurting him so badly that doctors had to remove one of Martin’s testicles.

Padilla and his attorney have said he was doing what he was trained to do and aiming for a major leg muscle but he missed.

“I never intended to hit him in the groin,” Padilla said in court in September. 2015. “I mean, I didn’t want use any force at all.”

Padilla is now expected to go on trial in June for felony charges of aggravated battery and tampering with evidence for allegedly deleting cell phone video one of Martin’s passengers took at the scene.

About eight months after those criminal charges were filed, Padilla resigned from APD.

The city didn’t comment on the recent settlement.

Martin’s attorney said his client is happy to end this chapter.

“It’s been very public,” said Attorney Sam Bregman. “He’s looking forward to getting that behind him moving forward and getting on with his life.”

Charges against Martin for DWI and resisting an officer were dismissed.

Padilla is still fighting to get his law enforcement certification back.

The New Mexico Law Enforcement Academy Board revoked it after he was charged.