Tuesday, June 26, 2012, 4:25 pm News Flash Archive

The Taxpayers Channel has obtained copies of the police report, arrest warrants, and court documents relating to the arrest of Tin S. Lou, his wife and son.

These documents were obtained via a public records request filed with the city clerk last Friday.

As reported in the Commonwealth, the Lou family (Tin S., Mae and Leland) have filed suit against the City of Greenwood and several police officers for false arrest, malicious prosecution, excess force, and other civil rights violations. The allegations result from the June 18 2011 incident in which the Lous called the police to arrest trespassers, and were themselves arrested on their own property by the police for "disorderly conduct, failure to obey a police officer."

Additional facts have emerged from these documents:

1. Apparently, the trespasser, Riydah Fadel, desired to use the Lous' property as an avenue to move two large freezer units into the back of his store around the corner. The Lous insisted that he not be permitted to complete his trespass, but rather remove the freezers off their property without accomplishing his purpose. In other words, the Lous would not permit Fadel to complete his trek across their property, while the police insisted that they do so.

2. Sgt. L. V. Archie instructed Officer Miron Smith to arrest the Lous if they wouldn't allow the trespass to continue.

3. Leland Lou, a physician and son of Tin and Mae Lou, was MACED and thrown to the ground after he refused to allow himself to be handcuffed, according to the incident report filed by Officer Miron Smith. According to that report, Dr. Lou "was taken to the ground" by himself and an Officer Hawkins.

4. According to the incident report, Dr. Lou's offense was that he refused to tell his father to move out of the way of the trespasser, and announced that the family would not permit the trespass to continue, and threatened to sue the police officer if he laid a hand on them.

5. Mae Lou was arrested when she tried to prevent Office Smith from handcuffing Dr. Lou.

6. Mr. Tin Lou (84 years old) was arrested as he sat in his power wheel chair on his property, blocking the trespass from taking place. Mr. Lou, in colorful language, also threatened the police officer with a lawsuit should he arrest him.

7. Tin Lou was transported to the police station by Officer Lovell. He was taken from there by ambulance to the Greenwood Leflore Hospital and then after 2 hours back to the police station.

8. An Officer Johnson was also present at the scene.

9. A review of the judge's court sheet for all three cases confirms that the charges against the Lous were all dismissed, and not passed to the files as described in the lawsuit filed by the Lous.

The police report may be viewed here: Lou Arrest Police Report

The arrest affidavits, warrants and judge's court sheets may be viewed here:
Tin Suey Lou Arrest Affidavit/warrant
Leland Lou Arrest Affidavit/warrant
Mae Pang Lou Arrest Affidavit/warrant

Note: this article was corrected regarding what the Commonwealth had reported about the charges being dropped in city court.

John Pittman Hey
The Taxpayers Channel

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