MONROE, La. – Attorneys for a Black man allegedly beaten in Monroe police custody are seeking damages and change. A lawsuit has been filed on behalf of Timothy Williams.
The federal lawsuit was filed last week. It names nine people, saying they acted together to cover up the incident last year. Those named include the City of Monroe, the current police chief, some supervisors and former officer Jared Desadier.
It claims Monroe Police Department employees failed to intervene in the beating or take Williams’ subsequent complaints seriously. It also claims the police employees falsified the police report and failed to adequately report what happened to interim Police Chief Reggie Brown.
Attorneys accuse MPD of fostering a pattern of excessive force and said improper training, supervision and discipline are issues within the department.
The Monroe civil service board is still looking into allegations from the current chief. Vic Zordan said the interim chief Reggie Brown was on board at the time Williams was brutally beaten.
In a termination letter to Brown and former Monroe Police Department Sgt. Chuck Johnson, Chief Zordan alleges Brown withheld the information until after the mayoral election—saying Brown felt that would result in Brown getting the chief’s job permanently.
But this new lawsuit blames it on what Williams’ attorneys call a more systemic issue.
The city has previously told us they can’t comment on ongoing litigation.
