TOLEDO, Ohio — Eljay Crisp-Carr and his mother, April Carr, filed a $20 million federal civil rights lawsuit Nov. 3 against Toledo and Lucas County officials after Crisp-Carr spent 141 days incarcerated in connection with a mass shooting for which prosecutors later dismissed all charges, according to 13abc.
Crisp-Carr, 20, faced dozens of felony charges, which were dismissed Oct. 30 following new developments in the evidence.
On June 6, gunfire erupted at the Old West End Festival in Toledo. Police said two people associated with rival groups exchanged gunfire, striking 12 people, including nine innocent bystanders. Authorities arrested Crisp-Carr in connection with the shooting.
According to FOX19, Crisp-Carr maintained his innocence throughout the case.
“I knew I was innocent from the start. I been innocent the whole time,” Crisp-Carr said.
He also described what investigators allegedly told him during questioning.
“They told me I was a monster. They just incriminated me,” he said.
On Oct. 30, prosecutors requested dismissal of the charges against Crisp-Carr. The court granted the request without prejudice, meaning the charges could potentially be refiled.
The federal lawsuit names the city of Toledo, Lucas County, Lucas County Prosecutor Julia Bates and Toledo police Detective Danielle Mooney, along with 15 unidentified police officers and three unidentified prosecutors.
Crisp-Carr’s attorneys said the $20 million damages request reflects both the lasting harm caused by his arrest and their allegations that officials made deliberate errors in pursuing the case.
His attorney, Gary Walker, said the lawsuit also seeks punitive damages against the authorities responsible for his arrest and prosecution.
Crisp-Carr appeared at a news conference wearing red clothing similar to what his attorneys said he wore on the day of the shooting. They maintained that he was several blocks away from the festival when his vehicle ran out of gas.
“The public officials that were responsible with upholding justice failed Eljay,” Walker said.
Another attorney representing Crisp-Carr, Alex Bodiford, described the lasting reputational consequences of the arrest.
“He now has to deal with an internet that has his face blasted all over it as a mass shooter. That’s going to follow him for the rest of his life,” Bodiford said.
Crisp-Carr and his attorneys alleged that investigators ignored Crime Stoppers tips identifying another possible suspect.
According to the attorneys, Toledo detectives relied heavily on a blurry photograph to identify Crisp-Carr as a suspect. They alleged that a detective deliberately provided false testimony about the identification evidence.
His attorneys also said cellphone records and video evidence placed Crisp-Carr approximately two miles from the shooting.
“The shooting was a tragic event here in Toledo. The community suffered this tragic event. The community wanted answers, rightfully so, we believe she rushed to judgment because of political pressure. This mass shooting happened out here, she was under pressure to get an arrest,” Bodiford said.
The lawsuit alleges that Crisp-Carr’s constitutional rights were violated through unlawful arrest and detention, unconstitutional searches, malicious prosecution, misleading identification evidence and the failure to disclose information concerning another suspect.
His attorneys characterized the case against him as “manufactured.”
According to the lawsuit, investigators misidentified Crisp-Carr because he had long dreadlocks and wore a black Nike ski mask resembling one seen in video footage of the shooting.
The lawsuit states that Crisp-Carr’s truck ran out of gas in the 2000 block of Glenwood Avenue and that he remained beside the vehicle during the shooting.
The lawsuit also alleges that investigators learned during a Sept. 2 interview that an individual identified as “Individual A” had told a roommate he was responsible for the shooting.
The individual reportedly pointed to Facebook videos and said, “That’s me, that’s me.”
The interview occurred nearly two months before Crisp-Carr’s release.
Following the dismissal of charges, Toledo police said the decision was based on new developments in the evidence and that the investigation remained active.
Lucas County Prosecutor Julia Bates said her office had informed Crisp-Carr’s attorney in September about evidence that could support his defense.
“The Toledo Police Department continues its investigation. Both the department and our office remain committed to following the evidence and getting it right, just as we are in every case,” Bates said.
Neither the city nor Lucas County prosecutors commented on the federal civil rights lawsuit when contacted by 13abc.
The lawsuit seeks $20 million in damages over Crisp-Carr’s arrest, detention and prosecution.
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