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CNN Live At Daybreak

Lawyers For Father and Son of Inglewood Case File Federal Lawsuit

Aired July 11, 2002 - 06:04   ET

THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.

THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.
CAROL COSTELLO, CNN ANCHOR: Lawyers for the father and son of the Inglewood case have now filed a federal lawsuit.

CNN's Eric Horng has details on that.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

ERIC HORNG, CNN CORRESPONDENT (voice-over): Named in the civil rights lawsuit: the city of Inglewood, the County of Los Angeles, four Inglewood police officers and three sheriff's deputies. Attorneys for 16-year-old Donovan Jackson and his father, Coby Chavis, allege their clients were beaten Saturday by sheriff's deputies and Inglewood police officers while stopped at a gas station, the incident grabbing national headlines because of this videotape shot by an onlooker.

JOE HOPKINS, PLAINTIFF'S ATTORNEY: The worst beating -- the worst beating of both parties took place before the video ever started running.

HORNG: Jackson's attorney says his client is learning disabled and has trouble understanding orders, and says officers willingly ignored that condition. Jeremy Morse, the Inglewood police officer shown slamming Jackson onto the trunk of a police car and then punching the teenager in the face has been suspended with pay. Monday, police said Morse, seen bleeding from the ear, suffered injuries during an alternation which was not captured on video. Police say the scuffle began after the teenager lunged at officers following a traffic stop.

EVE IRVINE, INGLEWOOD POLICE DEPT: Officer Morse was treated at a local hospital and released. He received a laceration to his knee, a laceration to his elbow, a laceration to his ear.

HORNG: The incident has spawned immediate investigations by three local law enforcement agencies, as well as a civil rights probe by the FBI. Attorney General John Ashcroft, issuing a written statement Wednesday, saying he was troubled by the incident.

DEMONSTRATORS: No justice, no peace!

HORNG: Tuesday, dozens of Inglewood residents rallied at city hall, demanding Officer Morse be fired and arrested. Another demonstration is scheduled for this weekend.

Eric Horng, CNN, Los Angeles.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

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