All articles tagged with #civil rights lawsuit
Immigrant-rights groups filed a federal lawsuit in Boston challenging ICE's May policy allowing agents to enter homes to arrest people based on administrative warrants (Form I-205) issued by DHS, arguing the Fourth Amendment requires a judge's warrant. The policy, disclosed after a whistleblower complaint, marks a shift in ICE enforcement, while DHS says the warrants ensure due process and removal orders.
The U.S. Department of Justice's Civil Rights Division filed its first affirmative lawsuit supporting gun owners, accusing the Los Angeles County Sheriff’s Department of violating Second Amendment rights by unjustifiably delaying concealed carry permit approvals, with only 2 approvals out of over 8,000 applications and delays up to two years.
Proud Boys leaders, pardoned by Trump for their roles in the Jan. 6 Capitol riot, have sued the federal government claiming constitutional rights violations and seeking $100 million in damages, alleging systemic abuse of the legal system to punish political allies of Trump.
New York City has agreed to pay $28.75 million to settle a civil rights lawsuit filed by Madeline Feliciano, whose grandson attempted suicide while in custody on Rikers Island in 2019. The lawsuit alleged that correction officers waited nearly eight minutes before helping him, resulting in brain damage. Three officers and a captain were indicted on charges in 2022. The settlement will go towards Nicholas Feliciano's medical care, and his family is also advocating for the closure of Rikers Island, despite Mayor Eric Adams' concerns about public safety and jail population accommodation.
Carol Stream police released bodycam video of the shooting that killed Isaac Goodlow, who was shot by officers after they entered his apartment in response to a domestic violence call from his girlfriend. The edited video shows officers entering the apartment, kicking open the door to Goodlow's room, and then firing shots. Goodlow's family has filed a civil rights lawsuit against the police, claiming his constitutional rights were violated. The DuPage County State's Attorney's Office is investigating the incident, and the police department plans to release the full body camera footage in the near future.
A former Ohio sheriff’s deputy, Jason Meade, is on trial for the murder of Casey Goodson Jr., a Black man who was shot in the back in 2020. Prosecutors revealed that Goodson was holding sandwiches and keys when he was shot, and his gun was found in his kitchen with the safety on. Meade claims Goodson pointed a firearm at him, but the prosecution argues that Meade's actions were intentional and unjustified. The case has sparked a federal civil rights lawsuit and a debate over whether the trial should be held in state or federal court.
The family of a 62-year-old man who died after being tased by an Atlanta police officer during a dispute over a traffic citation has filed a federal civil rights lawsuit against the former officer, the police chief, and the city, alleging violations of his constitutional rights and wrongful death. The lawsuit claims that the officer used excessive force and failed to provide medical care, leading to the man's death. The incident has sparked allegations of a pattern of excessive force within the Atlanta Police Department, and the family is seeking justice for their loved one.
The Lansing Police Department has released bodycam footage of a deadly shooting that occurred during a response to a domestic violence situation. The video shows officers approaching a car where they found Stephen Romero and a woman, who was later found to have no injuries. A gun was presented by Romero, and shots were fired by the officers. The family's lawyer has announced plans to file a federal civil rights lawsuit against the Lansing Police Department.
Two Jewish students at the University of Pennsylvania have filed a civil rights lawsuit against the school, alleging antisemitic hatred, discrimination, harassment, and intimidation. The students claim to have experienced slurs and encountered hateful graffiti on campus. They are seeking compensatory and punitive damages, including tuition refunds. The university's president, Liz Magill, is facing criticism for her responses during a congressional hearing on antisemitism. Governor Josh Shapiro has called her responses "unacceptable" and "shameful."
Police officers in Farmington, New Mexico, fatally shot an armed homeowner after mistakenly going to the wrong house on a domestic violence call. The wife of the victim, Kim Dotson, said she was treated like a suspect, detained for hours, and given few details about why her husband was killed. The officers fired 19 shots into the home after Dotson returned fire, but she was uninjured and has not faced charges. Dotson and her family have filed a civil rights lawsuit against the city and the officers involved, alleging that the killing was unjustified. The police department has not reached out to Dotson or her family since the incident.
The family of a 10-year-old Black boy in Mississippi plans to file a federal civil rights lawsuit unless police officers involved in his arrest for urinating in a parking lot are fired. The boy was detained and placed in a cell for almost an hour, prompting questions about racial bias. The police chief acknowledged mistakes were made and one officer is no longer employed, while others will be disciplined. However, the boy still faces legal action for being "a child in need of supervision." The family's lawyer demanded the charges be dropped, the officer be named and fired, and a financial settlement be reached.
A woman in California who was seen on bodycam video being punched by a Los Angeles County sheriff's deputy while holding her three-week-old infant has filed a federal civil rights lawsuit against the county and several unnamed deputies. The lawsuit alleges a pattern of excessive force against Black women by the sheriff's department. The incident occurred during a traffic stop in July 2022, where deputies arrested the mothers and male driver for felony child endangerment. The video shows the woman refusing to hand over her baby, and a deputy punching her twice in the face. The sheriff has taken disciplinary action against the deputy and the case is under investigation by the Internal Affairs Bureau, the district attorney, and the FBI.
New York City has agreed to pay over $13 million to settle a civil rights lawsuit filed on behalf of approximately 1,300 people who were arrested or beaten by police during the racial injustice protests in the summer of 2020. The settlement, if approved by a judge, would be one of the largest payouts in a lawsuit over mass arrests. The lawsuit focused on 18 protests that occurred in the week following George Floyd's killing, and eligible individuals will receive $9,950 in compensation. The settlement allows the city to avoid a costly and politically sensitive trial, as other cities negotiate their own settlements with protesters.
Multiple deputies from the Rankin County Sheriff's Office in Mississippi have been fired after two Black men filed a federal civil rights lawsuit alleging that six White deputies entered their home illegally and tortured them for nearly two hours. The lawsuit claims that the deputies handcuffed, kicked, waterboarded, repeatedly used Tasers on the men, and attempted to sexually assault them. The deputies also allegedly used racial slurs and accused the men of dating White women. The incident is under investigation by the Mississippi Bureau of Investigation, and the FBI and the US Department of Justice have opened a civil rights investigation. The lawsuit seeks $400 million in damages.
Melissa Perez, a mother of four and grandmother, who was struggling with schizophrenia, was shot and killed by three San Antonio police officers. The officers have been charged with murder, and a civil rights lawsuit will be filed soon. Perez's family tried to keep her on a steady path that involved counseling, medication, and prayers. The shooting indicates the San Antonio Police Department has lagged in rethinking its approach to mental health crises, as other police agencies around the country have done in recent years.