A Detroit man is now suing a suburban city and at least a dozen of its officers for allegedly battering and tasering him during lock up. But that’s just the tip of the iceberg.
Suggested Reading
On Aug. 16, the American Civil Liberties Union of Michigan (ACLU) attorneys, who are representing Christopher Gibson in a civil lawsuit against the city of Warren, wants justice for an alleged brazen encounter while he was detained in December 2022.
Gibson — who has been diagnosed with schizophrenia and often experiences mental health emergencies that requires the help of mental health specialists, the Detroit Free Press reported — claims his heart and kidneys began to leak after cops allegedly “brutally battered, tasered and threatened [him] with a barking K-9″… all while he was experiencing a mental health crisis.
It all started after the 26-year-old began to display symptoms of his mental illness after a visit with a family member who was dying of cancer. Gas station personnel contacted Warren police where he was apprehended for an outstanding warrant for two counts of identity theft, per police who spoke with his mother Alwanda Gibson. Per the outlet, Alwanda repeatedly requested for mental health assistance for her son but was allegedly dismissed by cops before she “was in the dark about the fate of her son” for three days.
Police bodycam footage shows when they first approached Gibson inside a Warren Police Department holding cell. A cop, per Fox 2, told Gibson that he “picked the wrong city to be going through it in.” One officer can be heard telling Gibson: “You’re mental, that’s fine. That doesn’t stop you from following directions,” while he was reportedly exhibiting signs of a mental health crisis and refusing to be placed in handcuffs.
According to Fox 2, Gibson was tased twice and pepper-sprayed during the alleged tussle while he screamed about his mental health.
“The video shows multiple officers applying their full body weight to him and causing these extreme injuries,” Mark Fancher, an ACLU of Michigan Racial Justice Project attorney, said, the outlet reported. The lawsuit alleges officers struck Gibson repeatedly. One officer’s knee was allegedly on Gibson’s right arm, another officer’s body was on his, and a third officer used an arm lock around Gibson’s head.
During this, Gibson shouted to be taken to a “mental hospital now!” He reportedly begged: “Please! I’m cooperating! I’ve got the message!”
Gibson recalled how he felt “lucky to still be alive after what they did to me” and says he hopes his alleged encounter will help other folks with mental illness “from ever really experiencing that again.”
The lawsuit is currently pending.
Straight From 
Sign up for our free daily newsletter.