Jesse Kersey, 17, was riding his bike near his Dayton home when Officer Willie Hooper stopped him and tried to talk to him.
Dayton police “mistook” the mentally handicapped teen-ager’s speech impediment for “disrespect,” so they tasered, pepper-sprayed and beat him and called for backup after the boy rode his bicycle home to ask his mother for help.
As Reported By Court House News.com:
The mom says that “Prior to the incident described below, defendant Hooper knew Jesse and was aware that Jesse was mentally challenged/handicapped and a minor child.”
Nonetheless, Ford says, Hooper “apparently took Jesse’s speech impediment for disrespect … [and] began yelling at Jesse and after Jesse attempted to communicate with him[.] Jesse, being a minor and mentally challenged/handicapped, turned and rode his bike back to his home in an attempt to ask his mother, Ford, to help him communicate with defendant Cooper,”according to the complaint in Montgomery County Court.
On the way, the mom says, “A neighbor attempted to communicate with Officer Hooper about Jesse’s disabilities and was told to go back into his home, or he would be arrested.”
As Ford opened her front door, she says, Hooper and co-defendant Officer John Howard, “fired their Tasers, striking Jesse in the back with both probes.”
“Back-up units were requested to Jesse’s house, wherein upward of 20 police officers from different jurisdictions were present.
“Jesse was charged with assault on a police officer, resisting arrest, and obstructing official business.”
However, “Jesse was declared incompetent by the Montgomery County Juvenile Court and the charges against Jesse were dismissed.”
Jesse and his mom seek damages from the city and the two lead officers, for false imprisonment, false arrest, malicious prosecution, assault, battery, excessive use of force, infliction of emotional distress and civil conspiracy.
They are represented by Richard Boucher.
