By The Vanguard Staff
SACRAMENTO, CA – City of Sacramento police and Sacramento County sheriff’s deputies are being sued in federal court after they allegedly falsely arrested a man, and then cut his dreadlocks off and jailed him after putting a bag over his head.
The man said he called 911 for help to stop a homeless woman, who was wielding a knife, but he was the one police arrested.
Silas Jones, according to the civil rights suit, alleges, on Dec. 26, 2022, he was “wrongfully arrested and subjected to excessive force and physical abuse” by Sacramento police and deputies at the jail.”
The suit claims “Jones was leaving an acquaintance’s home on Franklin Boulevard when he was confronted by a homeless woman running toward him with a knife in her hand, according to a Sacramento Bee story.
Jones, the pleading notes, ran from the woman and called 911 for help, and walked toward home. When he arrived, the suit reads, officers arrived.
Quoting from the suit, The Bee story said, “Immediately upon reaching Plaintiff, the officers grabbed Plaintiff and handcuffed Plaintiff by forcing Plaintiff’s arms behind his back. Plaintiff repeatedly told the officers that he had not committed a crime and should not be detained.
“The female yet-to-be-identified Sacramento police officer explained that they were doing a welfare check, to which Plaintiff explained that he did not need a welfare check and that he was the one that called the police for help. Plaintiff continued to express that had not committed a crime and was the one who called for the police’s assistance.”
The suit maintains Jones was then removed from the patrol vehicle and had his backpack cut off his back, leading to Jones suffering “injuries during his unlawful arrest by Sacramento Police Officers.” He was taken, said The Bee, to the Sacramento County Main Jail downtown.
At the jail, the court filing states, sheriff’s deputies “strip searched Plaintiff by forcefully ripping off his clothing, leaving Plaintiff in only a t-shirt and underwear” (and) yet-to-be-identified deputies cut Plaintiff’s dreadlocked hair…The abuse endured by the Sheriff’s Deputies continued, as without lawful justification, yet-to-be-identified Sheriff’s Deputies placed a bag over Plaintiff’s head.
“With his vision impaired, yet-to-be-identified Sheriff’s Deputies then brutalized Plaintiff. After the yet-to-be-identified Sheriff’s Deputies finished unlawfully assaulting Plaintiff, they threw him in a cell, where he remained in a t-shirt and underwear until he was able to post bail.”
City, police and sheriff’s officials declined comment last Friday.
The suit, reported The Bee, alleges excessive force, battery, unlawful search and seizure and detention and seeks general special and punitive damages.
