MONROE, La. — The Ouachita Parish-Monroe Chapter of the NAACP says they want all of the Monroe officers involved in the excessive force case involving Timothy Williams to arrested.
“If they were standbyers, lookerons, as one officer inflicted body harm, to us, they just as guilty,” said Chapter President Ambrose Douzart.
Remember, Williams alleges he was beaten while in handcuffs after running from cops, but then surrendering. Up to 8 officers were involved, one has been arrested, and four others remain on administrative leave.
Jared Desadier was booked Saturday on charges related to this incident, and that’s why the NAACP held this protest.
“There’s always a few bad apples and our job as advocates and counsel of the law is to do what we can to speak out and weed those individuals out,” said Lead Counsel for Timothy Williams Donecia Banks-Miley.
We first reported back in 2018 Officer Desadier was fired from the force after testing positive for THC. He was ultimately reinstated by the Monroe Civil Service Board. Williams’ lawyers want to make sure that doesn’t happen again.
“Officers are often protected through the Civil Service Board and if they had taken this seriously, that perhaps Desadier would not have been an officer at the time this incident occurred,” said Attorney Kristen Pleasant.
“We’re going to keep demanding and requesting that they release the body and we’re also going to be requesting the public get behind us on this,” said Banks-Miley.
The two attorneys say more people have come forward with similar issues and they believe now is the time to speak out about it.
The NAACP is planning to meet with the Ouachita Parish Sheriff’s Department, West Monroe Police, Monroe Police, and Mayor Friday Ellis to discuss a plan to ensure all people in the community are protected.
