DAVENPORT, Iowa (AP) — A Davenport officer who stomped on the ankle of a suspect used unreasonable force but cannot be held liable for doing so, a federal appeals court ruled Thursday.

The 2015 stomp by officer Brian Stevens allegedly broke the ankle of suspect Juan Shelton, who was pinned down by five officers at the time.

Shelton had been wanted for a man’s beating at a Davenport strip club, and led officers on a chase in which he was armed.

Eventually, officers caught him after a foot chase, and pinned him down. As he refused to surrender his hands, Shelton was put in a chokehold that briefly made him unconscious, punched in the ribs, struck in the head by an officer’s radio and stomped on by Stevens.

He sued four officers involved alleging excessive force.