Thursday, March 28, 2024

Black Realtor and Clients Sue Michigan Police After Handcuffed During Home Tour

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*A Black real estate agent has filed a federal lawsuit against Michigan city police after he and his clients were detained at gunpoint during a house viewing.

We previously reported, that a Black realtor was showing a Black father and his 15-year-old son a Michigan home when they saw police outside the property with their guns drawn.

“I knew once they surrounded the home, they were preparing for a standoff,” the father, Roy Thorne, told CNN’s Don Lemon. “And so my instincts told me we need to get out of here, we need to get to where they can see that we’re not a threat.”

Apparently, a neighbor called the police and said that a suspect who was arrested at the same property a week before had returned to the home. However, the caller was wrong.

READ MORE: Black Realtor, Father & Son Viewing Home Had Guns Drawn on Them and Handcuffed by Cops

 

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Eric Brown, the realtor, was showing the property located in the community of Wyoming to Thorne and his son Samuel. The two had scheduled to view the home the day before, CNN reported.

Wyoming police ordered the trio to come out of the home with their hands up and then handcuffed them. Thorne and Samuel were placed in separate patrol cars while police investigated. After realizing the neighbor had made a mistake, authorities released them and issued an apology. Browne and the Thornes believe they are owed more than that. 

The plaintiffs are suing the City of Wyoming, its police chief, and the six officers who were involved, Complex reports. 

“Had the Plaintiffs not been African American men, they would not have been held at gunpoint, would not have been detained, and would not have been handcuffed,” the lawsuit states.

Brown and the Thornes are seeking unspecified damages over unlawful detainment, excessive force, violations of equal protection and civil rights, assault and battery, as well as intentional infliction of emotional distress, per the report. 

The Wyoming Police Department defended officers’ actions in a statement. 

“We have concluded race played no role in our officers’ treatment of the individuals who were briefly detained,” the police statement read. “While it is unfortunate that innocent individuals were placed in handcuffs, our officers responded reasonably and according to department policy based on the information available to them at the time.”

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