To: Brian Loughmiller, McKinney Mayor and Greg Willis, Collin County District Attorney
McKinney Mayor Loughmiller: Fire Officer Eric Casebolt!
I urge you to fire Officer Casebolt and file criminal charges of assault and battery against him for his brutal and discriminatory actions against Dajerria Becton and a group of Black teens who attended a pool party at Craig Ranch pool.
No person who treats another human being, let alone children, in such an abusive, life-threatening manner can be a police officer. The Black teens were singled out for abuse and none of the white bystanders experienced any police aggression. It's gravely unjust.
No person who treats another human being, let alone children, in such an abusive, life-threatening manner can be a police officer. The Black teens were singled out for abuse and none of the white bystanders experienced any police aggression. It's gravely unjust.
Why is this important?
"He grabbed me, twisted my arm on my back and shoved me in the grass and started pulling the back of my braids," — 15-year-old Dajerria Becton
This past Friday, McKinney law enforcement responded to a call from white residents that a group of Black teens, 13 — 16 years old, attending a pool party “did not have permission to be there.” One of the residents is reported in having told the kids to go back to “Section 8 housing.”
Officer Eric Casebolt violently arrested, verbally assaulted and physically attacked a number of the teens, including Dajerria Becton who was body slammed, pinned down and put in handcuffs while unarmed and wearing a bikini. Ofc. Casebolt then drew his gun at teens who came to Dajerria’s rescue.
McKinney law enforcement and Officer Casebolt's violence against these teens highlight the systemic abuse, injustice, and criminalization that Black girls and women face at the hands of law enforcement every day.
Police treated all of the Black teens unjustly, but the gender and racial stereotypes underlying their behavior are highlighted when Officer Casebolt spoke to the group of Black girls. "Stop running your mouth" and "get your a***** out of here," he shouted to the group of teenage girls in bathing suits before violently grabbing Dajerria by the hair, slamming her head into the pavement, and digging his knee into her back while she laid face down in the grass.
In addition to Officer Casebolt, the other 11 police officers who stood by and allowed this violence to continue must be held accountable and Attorney General Lynch should launch a full investigation into the discriminatory policing practices of the McKinney Police Department.
Join us in urging local officials to fire Officer Casebolt and charge him with assault and battery for his brutal and discriminatory actions.
This past Friday, McKinney law enforcement responded to a call from white residents that a group of Black teens, 13 — 16 years old, attending a pool party “did not have permission to be there.” One of the residents is reported in having told the kids to go back to “Section 8 housing.”
Officer Eric Casebolt violently arrested, verbally assaulted and physically attacked a number of the teens, including Dajerria Becton who was body slammed, pinned down and put in handcuffs while unarmed and wearing a bikini. Ofc. Casebolt then drew his gun at teens who came to Dajerria’s rescue.
McKinney law enforcement and Officer Casebolt's violence against these teens highlight the systemic abuse, injustice, and criminalization that Black girls and women face at the hands of law enforcement every day.
Police treated all of the Black teens unjustly, but the gender and racial stereotypes underlying their behavior are highlighted when Officer Casebolt spoke to the group of Black girls. "Stop running your mouth" and "get your a***** out of here," he shouted to the group of teenage girls in bathing suits before violently grabbing Dajerria by the hair, slamming her head into the pavement, and digging his knee into her back while she laid face down in the grass.
In addition to Officer Casebolt, the other 11 police officers who stood by and allowed this violence to continue must be held accountable and Attorney General Lynch should launch a full investigation into the discriminatory policing practices of the McKinney Police Department.
Join us in urging local officials to fire Officer Casebolt and charge him with assault and battery for his brutal and discriminatory actions.