October 30, 2014

 

By: Amen Oyiboke

Staff Writer

 

  

26 year-old Brandon Lawson, a South LA resident, was arrested for allegedly assaulting an LAPD officer, but he claims that he was the one who was attacked.

 

Dawson was arrested on 64th and Broadway after police from the Newton Division stopped and allegedly beat him.

 

Dawson accounts getting off from work and doing his routine pick up of his 7-month-old daughter from his grandmother’s apartment.

 

“My only intentions for the night were to pick up my daughter and take her home,” Dawson said. 

 

He recalls parking his car in a closed business lot next to his grandmother’s apartment and went to get his daughter. “I strapped my daughter into the car and I entered the car. I was about to back up the car and all of a sudden I noticed some cop lights behind me and I just got out the car to see what was going on. And then the cops told me to get back in the car,” he said.

 

They questioned him about why he parked in the business area, but did not give reasoning for his arrest, Dawson’s attorney Joshua Piovia-Scott said.  This incident was captured on security cameras from the apartment building.

 

“This is outrageous a classic case of police abuse. The police conduct is despicable,” Scott said. “My client was just concerned about having his daughter in a safe place. He just wanted to get her back into his grandmother’s house.”

 

Dawson’s civil rights attorney says they are looking to press a civil rights lawsuit against the Newton Division.

 

Dawson said he was trying to comply with LAPD officers as well as make sure his 7-month-old daughter was safe. His attorney claims about 4 police officers kicked and choked Dawson while he was laying flat on the ground outside the apartment building.

 

Scott said Dawson did not have a criminal record or gang affiliations. Dawson was released on $50,000 bail.  He was also treated at Centinela Hospital Medical Center in Inglewood for neck abrasions and a bruised wrist.

 

As of press time LAPD Newton Division officers were contacted, but no response was given.

Category: Community