Confrontation between officer working security at Arbutus Walmart leads to lawsuit, police brutality accusations
BALTIMORE - Surveillance video shows a confrontation between a man and a Baltimore County police officer that is now the focus of a new lawsuit.
Andre Holness is suing the county, a private security company and Walmart over the incident, which happened three years ago.
His attorney said the officer was working as contracted security at the store in full police uniform.
A Walmart security camera shows Holness as he leaves the Arbutus store and walks through the parking lot with the uniformed officer close behind.
There is no audio, but you see what appears to be the officer push Holness who turns around.
Moments later, with Holness' back turned, the officer tackles him to the ground where they remain for several minutes.
Holness said he was arrested and jailed—charges that were eventually dropped.
"What happened to me shouldn't have happened to a dog," Holness told WJZ during a Monday news conference.
He is represented by prominent attorney Billy Murphy and Murphy's law firm.
The plaintiff's lawyers said it started as a dispute over a money order. Holness did not have his identification and was denied getting one. WJZ does not have video of that confrontation.
Holness eventually left, leading to him getting tackled.
"Both of [the officer's] supervisors concluded that his attack was in their eyes reasonable. This is what the taxpayers of Baltimore County are paying for—a police force that will back up their officers even when they are in the wrong," said Holness' attorney Malcolm Ruff.
Baltimore County police told WJZ they do not comment on pending litigation.
Walmart issued the following statement: "We take allegations like this seriously, and we are looking into the situation. We'll respond as appropriate in court."
The officer was not wearing a body-worn camera at the time of the incident.
"It's got to stop. Citizens should never be treated the way Mr. Holness was treated," Billy Murphy said.
WJZ reached out to the private security firm, but we have yet to hear back.
The Murphy law firm did not give a specific amount that they are asking for in their lawsuit.
"You need to view this tape and consider what I'm saying. I'm sorry on behalf of the leadership of this county, Mr. Holness," said Rev. Roland Patterson of the NAACP's Baltimore County branch.
