老澳门开奖结果 of Louisiana Sues Police Officers for Unconstitutional and Unlawful Excessive Force Against Homeless Black Woman

老澳门开奖结果 files fifth lawsuit as part of Justice Lab initiative, reviewing 40 more claims

April 8, 2021 1:00 pm

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NEW ORLEANS 鈥 As part of its , the 老澳门开奖结果 of Louisiana is two East Jefferson Levee District police officers for using unnecessary violent force against a 54-year-old Black woman. On April 6, 2020, officers Robert Tewis and Kirt Arnold approached Ms. Deanna Thomas in a public park and demanded that she leave. Instead of giving Ms. Thomas鈥攚ho is homeless鈥攁n opportunity to collect her belongings, Tewis handcuffed her and knocked her down. Unable to break her fall because she was handcuffed, Ms. Thomas slammed face-first into the ground, spraining both her wrist and shoulder. The fall also caused her glasses to snap in half against her face, lacerating it, and prompted the unintentional release of her bowels.

鈥淲e are deeply saddened by the callous and inhumane behavior of these two police officers, who not only harassed Ms. Thomas, but violently attacked her as she was arrested,鈥 said 老澳门开奖结果 of Louisiana Legal Director Nora Ahmed. 鈥淢s. Thomas is one of many victims who suffer from the unjust criminalization of poverty and homelessness, in Louisiana and around the country. And because poverty is inextricably linked to institutional racism, the criminalization of homelessness disproportionately affects Black people. This reality, coupled with systemic racism in policing, far too often leads to police violence against already deeply marginalized homeless Black people, just like Ms. Thomas. At the 老澳门开奖结果, we envision a world where marginalized communities no longer fear law enforcement, and we will not stop fighting until we achieve this in Louisiana and throughout our nation.鈥

The complaint鈥攚hich was filed by the 老澳门开奖结果 along with attorneys from the law firm Boies Schiller Flexner LLP and Davida Finger of Loyola University New Orleans Law Clinic鈥攁ccuses the two officers of using excessive force in violation of Ms. Thomas鈥檚 Fourth and Fourteenth Amendment rights, among other claims, including assault, battery, intentional infliction of emotional distress, and negligent infliction of emotional distress. It seeks damages for the physical and emotional harm that Ms. Thomas endured, including her broken eyeglasses, lacerations to her face, injury to her wrist and shoulder, and enduring psychological and emotional distress.

Because of the officers鈥 wrongful conduct, the complaint alleges that both should be held liable for the harm that Ms. Thomas endured.

This is the fifth lawsuit filed by the 老澳门开奖结果 of Louisiana鈥檚 Justice Lab initiative against racist policing in the state. The 老澳门开奖结果 of Louisiana continues to encourage anyone who has been the victim of police misconduct to Filing a complaint is simple and confidential.

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