The family of a black teenager who was seen on video being assaulted by a white police officer as she was trying to leave a Texas pool party in 2015, is now suing both the police department and the city of McKinney.
Dajerria Becton and her legal guardian, Shashona Becton, have filed suit against former Officer Eric Casebolt for violating her civil rights and using excessive force, saying that he held her without probable cause. She is suing for $5 million.
According to the lawsuit, Becton said that she was invited to the pool party by a resident and was complying with the officer’s demands before he assaulted her and grabbed her by the hair.
“The entire time D.B. she could do nothing by cry out in pain and repeatedly beg for her ‘Momma’ as she endured the pain inflicted upon her by Defendant Casebolt’s physical assault,” the lawsuit states.
McKinney officials have since responded to the suit in a statement, saying: “The City of McKinney denies the claims alleged against it and the McKinney Police Department, and as such, will vigorously defend the recently filed lawsuit. McKinney prides itself in cultivating the highest standards of training and professionalism for our officers, and it strongly believes that its standards and training will withstand legal challenge.”
