Monday, March 9, 2020, 6:10 pm News Flash Archive

Late last Friday, the City of Greenwood settled the police assault, torture, and kidnapping lawsuit brought by the victim, Bert Keys, for an undisclosed amount. See the Stipulation of Dismissal here:
Keys v. Greenwood Stipulation of Dismissal.

Keys had sued the City of Greenwood over a September 2, 2016 incident in which Greenwood police officers assaulted him, tortured him twice with an electric stun gun, kidnapped him and held him for ransom for four days at the county jail. Keys was never brought to trial by the City, and Municipal Judge Carlos Palmer dismissed all charges against Keys in November 2018 and expunged them from the record.

Incredibly, the City lied to the Federal Court, denying that it had arrested, tasered, jailed, or charged Keys, or that the officers and police chief actually worked for the City, even though the then-chief Ray Moore had told the Greenwood Commonwealth at the time that his officers had arrested and jailed Keys.

But in a later about-face, the City walked back its untruthful statements to the Court, admitting the allegations, but placing the blame on the victim Mr. Keys, claiming that he resisted arrest which the City had previously denied took place.

To read about the case details, please see here:
City of Greenwood Walks Back Lies it Told Federal Court in Bert Keys Assault/Torture Lawsuit

As usual, the terms of the settlement are confidential, in keeping with the City of Greenwood's long-standing practice of hiding the amount being paid to victims of police misconduct.

The Taxpayers Channel reviewed the federal court docket system and compiled a list of police misconduct lawsuits against the City of Greenwood going back 25 years. In these cases, Greenwood police were accused of illegal arrests, beatings, retaliatory arrests for the speech of the victims, arrests to stop citizens from recording the police in public places, and a variety of other barbarisms.

Each of these complaints were settled without going to trial, or notice to the public of the amounts being paid to the victims:

1. Bert Keys, 2020
2. Jelani Barr, 2017,
   see Latest Victim Sues Greenwood Police Officer
3. Tommy Jackson, 2016
4. Jelani Barr, 2015,
   see Greenwood Settles Jelani Barr Civil Rights Lawsuit
5. Otha Mullins, 2014
6. Tin Suey Lou et al, 2013,
   see Papers reveal more details about Lous' arrest and lawsuit
7. Henry Kinds, 2011
8. Dorothy Prayer, 2008
9. Zeta Craddock, 2004
10. Tyrone Walker, 2002
11. George Whitten Jr., 1998
12. Jeremy and Jeremiah Brown Jr., 1998
13. Elaine Grant, 1997
14. Thomas Robb, 1995

The Greenwood police have a long history of threatening and arresting citizens and reporters for taking pictures in public places in matters of public interest. The City never takes any public action to correct or apologize for these illegal actions by its officers, and in some high-profile instances, did not ever conduct any investigation into the officers' criminal acts. See No investigation in latest illegal arrest

John Pittman Hey
The Taxpayers Channel

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