Video Taping Arrest

Houston, TX: (Mar-03-08) Two brothers, Erik and Sean Ibarra, brought charges against Harris County, alleging that their civil rights were violated. The suit claimed that the brothers were wrongly arrested in 2002 for video taping a sheriff's department drug raid at a neighbor's home. The suit named Harris County Sheriff Tommy Thomas and four deputies. Erik and Sean Ibarra stated that their civil rights were violated when deputies stormed their northeast Houston home and destroyed the film in their camera. The incident led to the filing of the lawsuit, which sought $5 million in compensation. The two claimed that the manner in which they were treated when they were trying to defend themselves was unacceptable and illegal.

Sources stated that the Ibarra lawsuit led to the discovery of racial and sexually explicit e-mails on District Attorney Chuck Rosenthal's county computer. Rosenthal went on record later, testifying that Ibarra's arrest might have been unwarranted. As part of a settlement reached in the case, Harris County Commissioners approved a $1.7 million lawsuit settlement, resolving litigation. In addition to the settlement, the judge in the case will decide how much the county will have to pay in attorney fees and court costs. [KHOU NEWS: WRONGFUL ARREST]

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Published on Mar-4-08