CASE #53 – MONROE V. CONNER ET AL. (26TH JDC)

On March 10, 2023, after a court ruled that Mr. Monroe’s state law claims fell outside of its purview because it was unable to decide the federal case due to Louisiana’s draconian one-year statute of limitations, the American Civil Liberties Union of Louisiana filed a state court suit on behalf of Mr. Anthony Monroe. That action, like the federal case he filed challenging the statute of limitations, was filed against Louisiana State Police troopers for their illegal arrest and use of excessive force against him.  

Mr. Monroe was another unarmed, nonthreatening Black man who was just trying to make it home after work before being violently brutalized by those meant to protect and serve his interests. 

On the early morning of November 29, 2019, Mr. Monroe was on his way home from a long night of work when he noticed a Louisiana State Trooper following him in his car.  The trooper, Richard Matthews, pulled Mr. Monroe over for no reason and told him to exit his vehicle.  Mr. Monroe complied with Matthews’ orders and exited his vehicle, despite the trooper offering no justification for why he had to do so.  Mr. Monroe was terrified for his life, and rightfully so.  Matthews immediately grabbed Mr. Monroe’s wrists and manipulated them to look like Mr. Monroe was resisting arrest.  He then drew his gun on Mr. Monroe.  Two other Louisiana State Troopers, including Terry Conner, arrived, and moved to arrest Mr. Monroe.  

Without any provocation, Troopers Matthews, Conner, and a John Doe trooper violently slammed Mr. Monroe to the ground and pinned him to the ground face down, kneeling on his back and legs with their full body weight.  Mr. Monroe could not breathe as the troopers began to violently beat him and twist his arms behind him.  The troopers ignored Mr. Monroe’s screams and cries, and one trooper told Mr. Monroe that his arrest had to be done “the hard way.”  After the violent beating, Mr. Monroe was transported to jail, where he was denied proper medical treatment despite having suffered a heart attack in the police car ride on the way there. 

Mr. Monroe submitted public records requests to the Louisiana State Police seeking documents related to his brutalization.  Louisiana State Police failed to produce any relevant documents, yet another way of evading accountability.

In state court, Mr. Monroe is arguing his claims should stick because the two year statute of limitations applicable to crimes of violence, should, as a minimum, apply to his state law claims. 

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