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GALVESTON, Texas: A black man who was led by a rope by two white officers on horseback sued a southeastern Texas city and its police department for $ 1 million, claiming he suffered humiliation and fear during his arrest.
A lawsuit filed last week in Galveston County District Court on behalf of 44-year-old Donald Neely alleged the officers’ conduct was “extreme and outrageous,” physically injuring and causing him emotional distress, the officials reported. media citing court documents.
Photos from the August 2019 encounter showed Neely being led by officers with a rope tied to his handcuffs, reminiscent of images showing chained slaves.
Galveston Police Officer Amanda Smith secures Donald Neely with rope after she and Officer Patrick Brosch arrested the homeless man for breaking and entering in Galveston, in this still from video released Oct. 2, 2019 (Photo: Reuters / Galveston Police Department / Brochure)
Neely, who was homeless at the time, was sleeping on a sidewalk when he was arrested for burglary and driven around the block to a mounted patrol parking area. In body camera video, an officer could be heard twice saying that leading Neely on a rope through city streets would look “bad.”
The lawsuit accused the city and the department of negligence, and stated that officials should have known that Neely would find it offensive to be led by the rope “like a slave.”
“Neely felt as if he was once exhibited as slaves,” the lawsuit says.
In a statement at the time, Police Chief Vernon Hale called the tactic a “trained technique and best practice in some settings.”
Donald Neely poses for a photo in Houston, October 4, 2019 (Photo: AP / Houston Chronicle / Marie D De Jesus)
However, he said he believed his officers “showed little judgment,” adding that the department has since changed its policy to avoid using the technique.
An investigation by the Texas Rangers determined that the officers did not violate the law. Neely’s criminal trespass charge was dismissed in court. His lawsuit also alleges malicious prosecution related to the charge.
City officials declined to comment on the lawsuit to the media.
A state conference was set for January.
