Twin brothers Carlos and Thomas Williams have recently filed federal discrimination lawsuits against police in Rancho Cordova, California for allegedly beating, choking, and arresting them last year.
What We Know:
- According to the lawsuits, the Williams brothers were mistaken for burglars outside of Carlos’ house. Carlos was outside showing Thomas a new water drain he had installed last March when a couple walked over and asked the men “What the f*** are you doing on this property?”
- The couple reportedly called police, accused the Black men of being burglars, and Rancho Cordova police responded with their guns drawn and yelling for the brothers to “get your f****** hands up”.
- The lawsuits, which also name Sacramento County and the particular officers involved in the incident, accused police of abusing the men before slapping handcuffs on them and carting them off to jail. According to The Sacramento Bee, they were still detained even after police reportedly saw Carlos Williams’ driver’s license which matched the address of the house.
- Thomas Williams was charged with felony assault and Carlos Williams of resisting arrest. Prosecutors later refused to file charges. “This is a case of police brutality,” Thomas Williams writes in his lawsuit, which points out that he works as an educator and founder of a school for children with disabilities.
Since the March 23, 2019 incident, one of the lawsuits claims police officers continue to harass Carlos by engaging in a “coordinated intimidation campaign, involving unmarked cars repeatedly circling Carlos’ home, spotlights shining brightly into Carlos’ home at night, and frequent flat tires to Carlos’ vehicle.”
