KANSAS CITY, Mo. — A Kansas City man has been awarded $325,000 from the Kansas City, Missouri, Police Department after claiming police used unlawful force against him in 2019 when he was a teen.
Demetris Taylor filed his settlement with the department on March 18.
The then 17-year-old Black teen was parked at O'Reilly Auto Parts, located at 63rd Street and Troost Avenue, when two KCPD officers activated their vehicle's emergency lights and blocked him into the parking lot, according to the petition.
Court documents said that the officers did not witness any traffic violations and were not responding to any complaint.
Documents say that one officer said he had stopped Taylor for a tag violation and for reaching for a hidden firearm.
The complaint says that KCPD had no legal authority to stop Taylor for a tag violation on private property, and that the claim that Taylor was attempting to conceal a firearm was falsely reported.
The documents claimed that Taylor asked "what did I do wrong?" before the officers attempted to open the locked passenger door and reach through the passenger window to grab Taylor, without informing him of their reasoning.
One officer then allegedly began "yanking" on Taylor's arm to pull him through the passenger window.
Taylor proceeded to exit his vehicle and had his hands and arms grabbed and was pushed against the vehicle, the documents said.
The complaint states that Taylor said "I am not resisting," before he was grabbed by the collar of his shirt and neck and tackled to the ground. While on the ground, Taylor repeatedly continued to say "I am not resisting."
It also says that video captured by a KCPD car cruiser camera contained audio of Taylor saying "ow," "my ribs, my ribs, watch out, my ribs, my ribs is messed up," "why are you punching me" and "help me, help me," while out of view of the camera.
One officer allegedly proceeded to kneel on Taylor, punch him in the head and face multiple times and push his face into the asphalt. The complaint says that Taylor was then tased while a third officer was present.
A fourth officer with Taylor's blood on their hands arrived in view of the camera, asking who was bleeding, according to court documents.
Taylor was then allegedly in handcuffs, on the ground.
One officer then asked "What was he looking for?" and another replied "I dunno," the complaint said.
Court documents state that this recorded statement conflicts with the officer's report that Taylor had been reaching for a firearm.
The complaint also says that the officer falsely claimed that he told Taylor to exit the vehicle and struck him "about three times."
Taylor was charged with felony possession of marijuana, unlawful possession of firearm, two counts misdemeanor assault on a law enforcement officer and one count misdemeanor resisting arrest.
The complaint claims that Taylor did not assault any officer and did not resist arrest.
Taylor spent time in jail and received injuries to his head, mouth, ribs, knees and legs, and received emotional distress according to documents. He also incurred legal fees.
The Jackson County Prosecutor's Office dismissed Taylor's criminal case after reviewing it.
