Border town officer accused of targeting Indians

Friday, December 7, 2007  

A lawsuit in federal court accuses a police officer in Farmington, New Mexico, of targeting American Indians.

Attorneys for Derek Parrish, 17, say officer Russell Bradford used excessive force in an incident this past May. They say Bradford slammed Parrish's face into the pavement, put his knee on top of his head and to the floor at the San Juan County Juvenile Detention Center.

The Farmington Daily Times is defending Bradford's actions. Parrish has been charged with violent crimes four times in connection with alcohol use.

Parrish's attorneys say the teen deserves compensation and punitive damages.

Get the Story:
Lawsuit accuses police of excessive force, racial profiling (The Farmington Daily Times 12/7)

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