This is a story that must be told. This is a story that must be seen. it is a story about the disrespect and abuse a certain segment of society must continue to deal with. Luckily it was caught on video.
Eric Banegas, a friend of Donrell Breaux recorded as a police officer barged into Donrell Breaux’s home and arrested him seemingly without cause. During the encounter one can hear Breaux continuously ask the officer why he was being placed under arrest. The officer disrespectfully refused to answer. This escalated the encounter as Donrell Breaux believed it was an unlawful arrest.
Donrell Breaux can be heard telling the officer he was scared. He was also begging the officer not to shoot him.
According to the Times-Picayune,
Breaux said he and Banegas were standing on Banegas’ front porch and talking. He admits to using profanity, but said they were cracking jokes amongst themselves. “It wasn’t to the point that we were loud and disturbing people,” Breaux said.
The neighbor walked out of his house and warned the two to watch their language. Breaux said the neighbor was belligerent, prompting a brief verbal confrontation that ended with the neighbor telling them he was calling the police.
“He threatens to call the police all the time about stuff in the backyard and stuff going on inside the house. Things like there’s too many cars in the driveway,” Breaux said. He felt the neighbor was out of line.
About 10 to 12 minutes later, a deputy arrived and spoke for a few minutes with the neighbor, according to Breaux. “Then, he’s grabbing my hoodie with handcuffs out. He said, ‘Let me see some I.D.,’ and grabs my wrist and says, ‘You’re under arrest,’ at the same time,” Breaux said. “I thought it was unlawful.”
That’s when the video begins, according to Breaux.
Breaux, who has been living at the Marmandie Avenue address since December, said he recognized the deputy as a friend of the neighbor. “I’ve seen him at the residence before,” he said.
Breaux said the same about a second officer seen arriving to help the deputy near the end of the video. From the footage, it’s not clear whether the officer is a Sheriff’s Office deputy. Breaux said the second man is an officer with the East Jefferson Levee District Police Department and had also been to the neighbor’s home, possibly as a guest.
It is shameful that in a country that professes democracy, that this continues to happen. It is likely that Donrell Breaux’s friend saved his life. There is a distinct possibility that absent that camera, the officer would have drawn his gun and shot Donrell Breaux.
Donrell Breaux made a mistake.
While it seems like Mr. Breaux’s rights were violated, he should have just allowed the officer to handcuff him. He would have had all the time in the world to launch a police abuse complaint. A dead person would not have been able to.
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