Nationwide — Officer David Eric Casebolt, the officer seen in a viral video slamming a teenage black girl to the ground and putting his knee on her neck to hold her down, was previously named in a lawsuit by an African American driver. The driver, Albert Earl Brown, Jr, accused him of racial profiling, excessive force, and falsifying reports.It happened back in April of 2007 when Casebolt and three other officers were involved in a traffic incident that escalated to a “visual body cavity search.” This incident led to the arrest and conviction of Brown, Jr who says he was “set up”.
In the lawsuit, Brown alleges that Casebolt profiled him, approached his parked vehicle, and questioned him about his clothes and the white females in his car. Brown says Casebolt then forced down his pants and conducted a forcible search while Brown was restrained by a second officer who, allegedly, slammed Brown’s head onto the vehicle.
Ironically, Brown’s lawsuit, which was later dismissed, was filed the same year when Officer Casebolt was recognized as Patrolman of the Year. But Casebolt and his fellow officers denied any wrongdoing. They also accused Brown of reaching for Casebolt’s gun which led to the officer’s use of aggressive force.