Kansas City man files lawsuit after being cited for filming officers arresting woman
A Kansas City man who was prosecuted for failing to move his car while videotaping police forcibly arresting a Black transgender woman is suing the two officers and the city of Kansas City, Missouri.
Mayor Quinton Lucas pardoned Roderick Reed last week after he was convicted of a city ordinance violation. The officers Reed recorded, Matthew Brummett and Charles Prichard, were indicted by a grand jury with misdemeanor assault for “recklessly causing pain” to Breona, or “Briya,” Hill as she was being handcuffed outside a beauty supply store. Reed’s video was cited by the Jackson County prosecutor when the charges were announced.
Reed, who was driving by at the time of Hill’s arrest in May 2019, stopped his car to record the officers. He was arrested at the scene and was given two municipal citations for parking his vehicle in the roadway and failure to obey a lawful order.
The suit, filed Friday in Jackson County Circuit Court, claims false imprisonment and malicious prosecution. Reed is seeking $5 million in damages.
Jamie Walker, Reed’s attorney, told The Star that his client should have received a commendation from the city for his actions rather than condemnation.
“Mr. Reed was a good Samaritan and this was obviously just retaliation,” Walker said. “Unfortunately the prosecuting attorneys office of Kansas City, Missouri, got on the wrong side of justice in this case.”
In an emailed statement Kansas City Police Department spokeswoman Doaa Al-Ashkar said the deparment “regrets all of the circumstances surrounding this incident.”
Rod Richardson, a spokesman for the city, said in an email that “the city does not typically comment on litigation.”
According to the suit, Reed began recording video out of concern for Hill’s safety after he saw an officer strike her.
Officers told Reed to “move along” and called for another car because Reed “wants to get involved.” The officers, the suit said, discussed tickets and citations they could bring against Reed.
Reed stayed, the suit said, because he “believed that Hill would be killed if he did not continue recording.” He never exited his car.
The charges brought against Reed the suit said, were “meant to intimidate (Reed) into not releasing his recording to the public, and to deter other concerned citizens from video taping police.”
“Cops can physically assault people and they can also abuse the system by filing charges that aren’t warranted,” Walker said.
After Reed was pardoned last week, Walker said, the city prosecutor did not dismiss his charges for an additional six days.
Last week, City Council members approved an amendment to the section of the city code officers used to cite Reed in an attempt to ensure witnesses aren’t barred from filming the actions of police officers.
This story was originally published June 12, 2020 at 11:14 AM.
