Lawsuit Claims Abusive Arrests
SAN ANTONIO, TX - A federal civil rights lawsuit accuses four San Antonio police officers of beating an activist and arresting four of his supporters without cause.
A complaint filed by the Texas Civil Rights Project says the incident in April 2009 began when staff at the Mexican consulate in San Antonio called police for help in dealing with Rodolfo Macias, a longtime activist, the San Antonio Express-News reported. Macias allegedly suffered a broken leg when he was dragged out of the building.
Macias called Antonio Diaz of the Texas Indigenous Council, who learned Macias was being taken to Metropolitan Methodist Hospital. Diaz and several friends stood their ground after they were told by police at the hospital they would be arrested if they refused to leave, the complaint said.
Jim Harrington, executive director of the civil rights project, said charges of obstruction against Diaz and his friends were dropped.
