A State College man is under investigation for allegedly falsely claiming he was assaulted by four Logan Township police officers last year at the Blair County Prison, state police at Hollidaysburg said Friday.
State police didn't name the suspect, but David Rainelli Jr. told the Mirror in May that he was beaten by the officers in October 2008, and he asked the FBI to look into his case.
"We knew from the beginning that these were false allegations," Logan Township Police Chief Ron Heller said Friday in his first public comment on the matter. "I'm sure the state police will do a thorough investigation."
He allegedly gave false verbal and written statements to township police and the FBI, state police said.
Rainelli, 39, was taken to the county jail after his arrest on public drunkenness, disorderly conduct and resisting arrest charges for an incident at the Van Zandt VA Medical Center. He refused to cooperate with police, spit on officers and tried to kick one of them, court documents state.
An attempt to contact Rainelli's public defender, Joseph Hartye, was unsuccessful late Friday.
Rainelli's trial was postponed last week in Blair County Court after Hartye told a judge that the proposed testimony of a social worker familiar with his client needed to be reviewed by a VA attorney.
Rainelli told the Mirror that the Logan officers injured his right shoulder and damaged a tooth and his chin. He said he gave a statement to an FBI agent from the Johnstown office.
Rainelli contends he went to the medical center Oct. 23, 2008, as part of an alcohol detoxification program and was given Librium to help with his withdrawal symptoms.
While he was waiting to see a social worker Oct. 27, 2008, he said he drank a "small amount" of vodka. He told the Mirror that the alcohol reacted with the drug he was taking, causing him to exhibit the symptoms of alcohol intoxication.
Rainelli, who was in the county jail since last week's hearing, was transported Thursday to the Centre County Correctional Facility, Blair County Sheriff Larry Field said.
Staff Writer Kay Stephens contributed to this story.
