Family accuses Dearborn, police of brutality
Lawsuit claims teen's neck was fractured in home disturbance

The Detroit News - 8/10/01

At issue

Here are the allegations of misconduct against Dearborn and three police officers:

* Gross negligence; intentional, willful and wanton misconduct.
* Violation of civil rights.
* Assault and battery.
* False imprisonment.
* Ethnic intimidation.
* Infliction of emotional distress.

DEARBORN -- An Arab-American family filed a lawsuit in federal court Thursday accusing three of the city's police officers of fracturing a 17-year-old boy's neck and harassing them while responding to a call last month.

Attorney Geoffrey Fieger will represent the El Haddi family in the lawsuit, which contains six counts against the city and the officers, including assault and battery, wrongful arrest and violations of civil rights.

"None of my clients had been charged with a crime, but they were beaten and degraded and humiliated and subjected to racial slurs," Fieger said.

Police responding to a call from a neighbor arrived at the El Haddi home on Lindel Street around 9:30 p.m. July 27, Chief Greg Guibord said. The neighbor allegedly was struck on the head with a bat earlier that night during a street fight involving 10 to 20 people, Guibord said.

Officers forced about 10 occupants of the home onto the front lawn, where the abuse allegedly took place, Fieger said.

According to the plaintiff's complaint, the three officers placed a night stick behind the neck of Musid El Haddi, grabbed his forehead and pulled his head backward, fracturing his neck.

"I was scared. My kids were all crying," said Anisa El Haddi, mother of the seven children.

In a news conference Tuesday, Guibord said the department was unaware of the complaints and could not respond.

"The city has not been served yet with any lawsuit," he said. "If there are allegations, then I need for those people to come forward."

"We intend to make this a very costly lesson for the city of Dearborn and its police officers," Fieger said.

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Suit alleges discrimination against Arabs by Dearborn Police

DEARBORN, Mich. (AP) -- Attorney Geoffrey Fieger filed a lawsuit Thursday against the Dearborn Police Department for the alleged beating of an Arab-American family.

The suit, filed in U.S. District Court, alleges police illegally entered the family's home on July 27 and threatened them with racial epithets while beating one child severely enough to break his neck. It wasn't clear what condition the child was in.

"We intend to make this a very costly lesson for the city of Dearborn and its police officers," Fieger told The Detroit News.

Dearborn Police Chief Greg Guibord said he has not yet received a copy of the lawsuit. But he said he had received no reports of racially motivated police brutality stemming from the incident.

"I need the people who witnessed these alleged improprieties to come forward and make a complaint so we can put our internal affairs division to work," he said.

He said police entered the Haddi home because they feared for the safety of those inside after hearing screams. Officers were responding to a report people were fighting with baseball bats in front of the house.

Amanda Jones, 19, a neighbor of the Haddis, received a laceration on her head which required six stitches to close, Guibord said.

Guibord said police had responded to previous disputes between the Haddi and Jones families.

Akram Abdo El Haddi is charged with assault with intent to do great bodily harm and Sallah Muhammed Abdullah with felonious assault stemming from the fight, Guibord said.

Guibord said Dearborn officers are trained to be sensitive to other cultures. The area is home to a large Arab-American community.

"We see this case as a major setback," said Imad Hamad, the American-Arab Anti-Discrimination Committee Midwest Regional Director. "We are going to monitor the proceedings of this case very closely."

Hamad said his group has had positive dealings with the Dearborn Police Department in the past.

"We're not condemning the whole city or the whole police department," Hamad said.