California Family Sues Law Enforcement After Teen is Brutally Beaten During Arrest

girlessence avril 05, 2021

Photo by Ira L. Black By Ashlee Banks ·April 5, 2021April 5, 2021

The lawsuit, filed on Friday, states Carter was en route to his father’s home on Dec. 30, 2020 when officers started trailing behind him, according to NBC News. Stockton police allege Carter was driving “erratically and speeding in excess of 100 mph.” Carter, 17, claims he was unaware that police were trailing behind him and attempting to pull him over.

The police department says the teen turned off his headlights and led them on a three-minute pursuit. The lawsuit alleges Carter finally stopped at some point, and he waited in his car with his hands visible. That’s when, according to Carter, he was allegedly pulled from his vehicle and slammed to the ground. The teen sustained bruises to both of his eyes, and scratches were found on his face and back. Officers Michael Stiles and Omar Villapudua fired over the incident.

The lawsuit states that the teen did not pose any threat to law enforcement during the arrest. John Burris, an attorney for Carter’s family, recently released photos of the 17-year-old, showing the extent of his injuries. The attorney also released police body camera footage that shows officers using excessive force against the teen. Officers acted like a “pack of wolves and without any provocation or cause, pulled the young Black man from his car and viciously beat him,” Burris said in a statement.

Burris added that he had not seen police beat someone that badly since Rodney King was brutally attacked by Los Angeles police officers in March 1991. Carter was afraid for his life as the officers “viciously beat” him, according to Burris.

The San Joaquin County District Attorney’s Office is currently reviewing the case.