MONROE, La. – The FBI is looking into an alleged excessive force case involving Monroe police. Attorneys maintain Timothy Williams was beaten by Monroe police officers in 2020.
Attorneys with the Pleasant, Williams & Banks-Miley Law Group, LLC. believe video captured by police body cameras is key evidence showing excessive force. They say Williams was kicked in the head while in police custody on April 21, 2020. Video shows him handcuffed and laying on the ground.
The trauma still haunts him.
“It’s hard. He has not fully recuperated from what happened to him. He still has nightmares, he’s still having these night sweats he’s still…I would like to say afraid of police officers,” said attorney Donecia Banks-Miley.
Williams’ legal team recently filed a federal lawsuit.
Attorney Donecia Banks-Miley is accusing police of fostering a culture of excessive force and falsifying reports.
“After Timothy’s case, we were hearing of other incidents where individuals are reporting what’s happened to them and the complaint going no further. It’s not elevated. They’re not hearing anything back. They’re following up, and nothing’s being done. So essentially, we’d like to say that it’s being covered up,” Banks-MIley explained.
Banks-Miley said she wants to know why the staff at Ouachita Correctional Center allegedly denied him medication, phone calls, and placed him in a padded room for weeks after the beating.
“As far as the sheriff’s department goes, we have so many questions. We have not received any answers to date, as well as to know if there’s any investigations going on there,” said Banks-Miley.
Banks-Miley said she’s been discussing the criminal side of this investigation with the district attorney’s office.
Former Monroe police officer Jared Desadier faces charges of second-degree battery and malfeasance in office.
She wants to know if other officers reportedly involved will face repercussions.
“They have passed along some information to the FBI, and I spoke to someone actually this morning.. He informed me that the FBI does have the case to investigate. However, they cannot confirm to me at this time whether they’ll be actually investigating. Just that they’re working on it.”
Banks-Miley said this is not an attack against law enforcement and the culture of police brutality must stop.
