Dallas Fort Worth Police Brutality Claim

As reported on March 24, 2009 by a CBS 11 News reporter, Carol Cavazos, a North Richland Hills restaurant owner claims police brutality after an incident in which the restaurant owner was handcuffed at his sister’s Colleyville home.  See, http://cbs11tv.com/local/alleged.police.brutality.2.966313 , “North Texas Man Alleges Police Brutality,” cbs11tv.com, 3/24/09.  According to the report, the man spent two days at Baylor Medical Center Grapevine after his arrest which occurred when he arrived at his sister’s home in response to concerns he had that his nephew was going to kill himself following a fight with his father at the restaurant where they work together.  The article states that when the restaurant owner arrived at the home his nephew was was sitting on the front stoop in handcuffs and there were police cars in the driveway, so the restaurant owner parked his car, got out with a cell phone, was hit by the officers and then ended up on the ground.  A niece who allegedly witnessed the incident from a front window was quoted in the article as saying: “He never had a chance to say anything.”  However, a Colleyville Police Officer was quoted in the article as saying that the man put himself into a police situation and failed to follow the direction of the officers.  The Colleyville Police claim they did nothing wrong and intended to charge the man with interfering with police, according to the article.  For his own part, the restaurant owner was reportedly pursuing legal action.

Whether police brutality or excessive use of force by police occurs in Dallas, Fort Worth or elsewhere, victims of alleged police brutality may consider making an internal complaint to the police department and consult an attorney to determine if a police brutality lawsuit may ultimately be appropriate under the particular facts and circumstances of the potential police brutality claim.