Prince George's County Police Department Faces $16 Million Lawsuit Over Alleged Illegal Entry and Dog Shooting

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ICARO Media Group
Politics
27/11/2023 22h41

In a recent development, the Prince George's County Police Department and three of its officers find themselves entangled in a $16 million federal lawsuit. The lawsuit, filed in U.S. District Court in Maryland, stems from an incident where the officers allegedly entered an apartment without a warrant, used excessive force, and needlessly shot and paralyzed a dog, which later had to be euthanized.

The lawsuit was announced during a news conference held on Monday afternoon, where the roommates who filed the lawsuit - Erica Umana, Erika Erazo Sanchez, Dayri Amaya Benitez, and Brandon Cuevas - were accompanied by their attorneys, William "Billy" Murphy and Malcolm Ruff. Notably, representatives from the NAACP Maryland State Conference, Coalition of Concerned Mothers of Prince George's County, CASA, and the American Civil Liberties Union of Maryland were also present.

This lawsuit comes on the same day that jury selection began in the second-degree murder trial of a separate Prince George's County police officer. That officer stands accused of fatally shooting a man six times in January 2020 while the man's hands were cuffed behind his back. Interestingly, Murphy and Ruff, the attorneys for the roommates in the current lawsuit, previously represented the victim's family in a civil case over that shooting and secured a $20 million settlement from the county - one of the largest police misconduct payouts in history at the time.

According to Murphy and Ruff, the case involving the shooting of the roommates' dog is yet another example of the long-standing issue of excessive force and abuse of power within the Prince George's County Police Department. The lawsuit claims that the incident is a tragic outcome of a failed and biased policing system that county leadership has consistently overlooked.

The incident in question took place in June 2021 at the roommates' apartment complex in Landover Hills, MD. Prince George's police had received a report of a dog bite at the complex and arrived to investigate. The dog, a 6-year-old boxer mix named Hennessy, belonged to one of the roommates. Allegedly, the officers entered the apartment without permission after obtaining keys from a maintenance worker. Upon entry, the officers reportedly brandished guns and Tasers, pointing them at the roommates.

A video, obtained by the attorneys and reviewed by The Washington Post, reveals that the dog showed no aggression as it ran out of a bedroom and past the officers. Despite this, one officer fired their gun, followed by another officer, while a third shocked the dog with a Taser. The roommates screamed and pleaded to be released as they watched their beloved pet writhe and bleed on the apartment's beige carpet.

Later that night, after being detained for hours in the back of a hot police van, Umana was reunited with Hennessy at a local animal hospital. However, due to being sedated and paralyzed, Umana made the difficult decision to have her pet euthanized - a decision that cost her $800.

However, the Prince George's County State's Attorney's Office declined to prosecute the officers involved. In a statement, the office said that after reviewing all the evidence, they determined that the officers' actions did not generate criminal liability. The office further informed the Prince George's County Police Department about their decision not to pursue the matter.

According to Ruff, the officers involved in the incident were suspended with pay for two years and found guilty of "conduct unbecoming an officer" at a trial board held earlier this fall. However, disciplinary action has yet to be handed down.

As the legal battle unfolds, the $16 million lawsuit serves as a stark reminder of the ongoing concerns regarding excessive force and the alleged abuse of power within the Prince George's County Police Department. The roommates and their attorneys are seeking justice and accountability for the traumatizing events they experienced on that fateful day in June 2021. County officials have not immediately responded to requests for comment on this matter.

The views expressed in this article do not reflect the opinion of ICARO, or any of its affiliates.

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