Police Brutality Or A Justifiable Arrest? – Truth Behind This Lawsuit

A woman is suing Texas police officers for a possible case of police brutality. She says the police handcuffed her outside her son’s school and held her down in a “pile of fire ants” after she tried to make an illegal U-turn into her son’s school parking lot.

Footage Reveals Possible Police Brutality

The incident took place on Aug. 19, 2021. The woman was attempting to make an illegal turn into her son’s school parking lot when she “became afraid and panicked” running from police. Her 9-year-old son was in the car at the time.

A police car blocked her path. According to the plaintiff, of the officers “slammed (the woman) to the ground… hogtied her and buried her face in a pile of fire ants”.

Body camera footage of the incident was released and shared by KHOU. It shows an officer on top of the woman restraining her to the ground as she screams, “Ants are on my face, ants are getting on my face, please! How can you all do this? Ants are on my face! Please let go!”

Later, photos emerged showing the victim’s face covered in blisters. Fire ants bite the skin and inject venom, resulting in extensive pain and irritation.

The Police Brutality Lawsuit

The video and photos served as evidence in the police brutality lawsuit. The woman is suing the city for what she believes was an act of torture.

Her attorney, Randall Kallinen, claims Santa Fe Poice stopped his client for no reason. He also discussed accusations of torture.

“Is it torture? Yeah, that’s a strong word, but I call it torture. When the police hold you down in a fire ant bed, and you’re saying fire ants and screaming, and they keep you there, what is that?” Kallinen said.

The police have responded by denying the accusations.

“When she (the officer) gave the description of the vehicle, I immediately knew who it was. So, I approached the intersection and observed Miss Rogers fleeing,” Chief Espinoza told the press.

“She was also passing a vehicle in the grassy area on the right side when I tried to get in front of her to stop. She didn’t put her vehicle in reverse and fled from me.”

Miss Rogers said she fled from officers because she was frightened. She claimed an officer had pounded on her vehicle and pulled a gun on her.

The police also stated no fire ants were near the scene and that they treated Miss Rogers with dignity and respect.

When the case was resolved, the mother was found guilty of fleeing police, and the judge ruled the officers’ actions were appropriate.

“While I forgive those officers for their actions that day, I refuse to remain silent in the face of a violation of my son’s and my civil rights,” Miss Rogers said in a statement.

Police Brutality History

There is a long history of police brutality in the United States. Law enforcement defines it as the use of excessive or unnecessary force when interacting with citizens. Examples include unnecessary physical force, verbal attacks, violence, and even mental intimidation. It can also refer to improper stops, searches, arrests, and detainment.

Several factors come into play in a police brutality charge. The court may consider:

• If the suspect was armed or posed a threat
• Whether the suspect was complying with the police
• The maneuver police used to gain compliance (I.e., was it part of their training)
• The type of compliance the officer was requesting

Get familiar with your rights so police and citizens can coexist peacefully.