WILLMAR, MN (trfnews.i234.me) – The American Civil Liberties Union of Minnesota has filed a lawsuit against a Willmar police officer and the city on behalf of Derrick Gilbert, a Black man who alleges he was unlawfully arrested for “walking while Black.” The suit, filed on June 21, claims that Gilbert, 39, was misidentified as another Black man with an arrest warrant. Despite realizing the mistake, Officer Christopher Flatten arrested Gilbert anyway, citing obstruction.
According to the lawsuit, during the arrest, officers cut off Gilbert’s backpack, threatened to use a stun gun, and handcuffed him improperly, causing pain. Gilbert was jailed on a misdemeanor obstruction charge, which was dismissed six months later.
The incident occurred on June 22, 2022, when Flatten, on patrol, saw Gilbert walking to work and assumed he was Sammy Price, a man with multiple warrants. Despite being told he was mistaken, Flatten continued to follow and taunt Gilbert, eventually arresting him.
The ACLU highlights discrepancies between Gilbert and Price, including significant differences in age, height, weight, and skin tone. No video of the arrest exists due to Flatten’s failure to activate his body camera or dash-cam.
The lawsuit seeks over $50,000 in damages and aims to prompt changes in the Willmar Police Department’s practices.