A civil rights lawsuit is putting allegations of police brutality in the spotlight on Long Island after dashcam footage captured a Suffolk County traffic stop that ended with a Black motorist being punched repeatedly in the face and head by an officer.

The video, released publicly this week, has quickly become the centerpiece of a civil rights case brought by Craig Manning, who claims officers used excessive force during what began as a routine traffic stop in Medford.

According to Newsday , the April 2 encounter started after officers accused Manning of making an illegal left turn. Video from a dashboard camera inside Manning’s Fiat 500 shows him pulling over and asking to speak with a supervisor while recording the interaction on his cellphone.

Moments later, Officer Robert Rufrano opened the passenger-side door, knocked the phone from Manning’s hand, and attempted to pull him from the vehicle.…