LAPD facing lawsuit after officers arrest black man during search for white suspect
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HOLLYWOOD (KCAL/KCBS) — The Los Angeles Police Department is facing a lawsuit after officers arrested a Black man outside of his home during a search for a white suspect in 2019.
In newly released video, officers can be seen detaining music producer Antone Austin outside of his Hollywood home in what his attorneys said is a case a racial profiling, excessive force and wrongful arrest.
According to LAPD, officers initially responded to the call on Fountain Avenue March 24, 2019 for a man suspected of violating a restraining order. According to Jasmyne Cannick, a representative for Austin, the suspect was white.
“In terms of community relations, no, this video is not going to help them because it still shows that we are still — we, meaning Black people — are still being treated by the LAPD, in particular, like we’re less than them,” Cannick said.
In the video, Austin, who is Black, can be heard repeatedly telling the officers they had the wrong man, but the situation escalated and one officer’s body camera fell to the ground, continuing to the record the struggle as Austin yelled for help.
Both the woman who first called 911 and Austin’s girlfriend told police that they had the wrong person. Police then detained Austin’s girlfriend whose robe came off during the confrontation, exposing her entire body.
The couple’s attorney says she suffered emotional and physical damage as a result of the incident.
CBS Los Angeles reached out to LAPD for comment, but did not immediately hear back.
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