SOUTH BEND, Ind. (AP) — The family of a black teenager who was punched and handcuffed by South Bend police officers then subdued with a stun gun in a case of mistaken identity is questioning their $18 compensation award.
Dan Franklin’s lawsuit says his family’s constitutional rights were violated July 2012 when his 17-year-old son, DeShawn Franklin, was confronted by police in an early morning raid at the family’s home. He says they “automatically” lost because of their race.
Officers were looking for DeShawn Franklin’s older brother, a suspect in an assault. They found DeShawn Franklin asleep in bed and a confrontation began when they tried to handcuff him.
The city’s attorney says the Franklins failed to prove there was any basis for an award and that their attorney should have advised them to settle.