He was arrested after leaving his car running at 7-Eleven; now he’s suing Sacramento
A year after a man who left his parked car running outside a 7-Eleven was tackled to the ground and arrested by a Sacramento police officer, the man has filed a federal excessive force lawsuit against the city and the officer.
The complaint filed on behalf of Craig Williams alleges that the fact he is African American “was a substantial factor” that led Officer Corey Johnson to “assault, batter and arrest him.”
“As a legal result of Johnson’s actions, Williams sustained serious injury and damages to his mind and body,” the suit, filed by Sacramento attorney Justin Ward, says. “Williams never consented to this use of force against him.
“Moreover, he had broken no felony laws or serious crimes which would have justified this use of serious force against him.”
Police spokesman Sgt. Vance Chandler had no comment Friday, referring questions to the City Attorney’s Office, which had no immediate comment.
The May 4, 2018, incident sparked anger after video of it went viral online, and the NAACP said at the time it was evidence of aggressive police action by some officers against people of color. Police later released body-camera footage of the incident.
The confrontation came at a time when tensions between activists and the police were particularly high because of the police shooting five weeks earlier that killed Stephon Clark, an unarmed black man who had been running from officers.
Williams’ interaction with police began when he pulled into a South Land Park 7-Eleven and left his car running with the stereo playing while he went inside.
Johnson was in the store making a purchase when Williams entered, the suit says, then went outside and asked another patron to have Williams come outside to talk. Williams did, then went back into the store. As he left a second time, “Johnson approached him and demanded to see Williams’ identification,” the suit says.
Williams asked why the officer wanted his ID, the suit says, and Johnson grabbed him by his wrist, tried to trip him and then forced him face down to the ground.
Williams was arrested and police said at the time that he was being questioned for “multiple law violations.” He was booked into the Sacramento County Main Jail on suspicion of resisting arrest and leaving the ignition key in an unattended vehicle, a violation of state and city laws that typically result in a $47.50 fine.
Sacramento County District Attorney Anne Marie Schubert’s office declined to file charges against Williams.
The suit seeks compensatory damages of more than $100,000, as well as punitive damages.
This story was originally published May 3, 2019 at 2:47 PM.