SOUTHWEST MIAMI-DADE, FLA. (WSVN) - A woman at the center of a rough arrest video and a South Florida veteran who said he was roughed up by police are both taking legal action in their separate cases.
Dyma Loving, 26, filed a lawsuit against Miami-Dade Police, Miami-Dade County and the two officers who allegedly mishandled her.
“This lawsuit is not only going to seek out justice from a civil liability standpoint for Ms. Loving but is also going to be an exclamation point to her continued pleas for justice,” said Justin Moore, Loving’s attorney.
She has several claims against them, including battery, false arrest and malicious prosecution.
“Things have to change, and you can’t change it if you just let things go,” said Loving.
Cellphone video showed the officers violently forcing Loving to the ground on March 5.
She called them after she said a man was threatening her, but the officers instead took action against her.
“It’s not just a singular issue. It’s a collective issue. Everybody should be involved in this lawsuit,” said Moore. “Everybody should be interested to see how this thing plays out because if we get a victory here, that means the people of Miami get a victory as well.”
Meanwhile, Oscar Julien-Riou, a 63-year-old U.S. Army veteran, is also seeking legal action after he said he was roughed up by City of Miami Police officers during an arrest.
“My rights got violated, my dignity got violated, and then I was just humiliated,” said Julien-Riou in a previous interview.
Julien-Riou said he was approached by a Miami Police officer while he was sitting alone and recording his thoughts at Alonzo Kelly Park, along Northwest 67th Street and 14th Avenue, on Dec. 10, in Miami.
“You know the park is closed at this time, right?” the officer could be heard saying in the video.
The retired Army veteran and registered nurse said there were no signs at the park indicating a closing time, but he still agreed to leave.
“You got nothing in that hand, right?” the officer asked in the video.
“No, no. I’m OK,” Julien-Riou said. “This my camera. No, this my camera, sir.”
Julien-Riou said the officer then accused him of throwing something to the ground.
“Seriously, why are you doing this to me?” Julien-Riou said.
Julien-Riou said he ended up on the ground in cuffs and that the officer conducted an illegal search before arresting him.
“His words were, ‘They descended on me like SWAT. I could have been killed, and my children would have never known what happened,'” said Rawsi Williams, Julien-Riou’s lawyer.
In Loving’s case, Miami-Dade Police Director Juan Perez released a statement that read, “I can assure the community that the MDPD remains committed to the highest performance standards, ethical conduct and truthfulness in all relationships. We strive daily to practice our core values of integrity, respect, service and fairness.”
Perez has placed one officer on desk duty pending the outcome of the investigation.
7News reached out to Miami Police, who said they would have no comment on any ongoing internal investigation.
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