Fieger: I'd pass on alleged carjacker's cop abuse case

Bulldog attorney Geoffrey Fieger considers himself a man of the underdog — but not this one: a Detroit carjacking suspect who has filed a $1-million lawsuit over his arrest that was caught on video.

The amateur video shows police punching and kicking the suspect, who was chased down after allegedly carjacking and robbing a grandmother and her two grandsons at gunpoint in the middle of the day.

Fieger says police crossed the line, but he still wouldn't touch the case.

"I would never take that case because you have a quote-unquote victim who is accused of a pretty horrific crime," Fieger said of the plaintiff, who has a lengthy criminal past and has been charged in the carjacking incident. "I don't' think a jury in the world will give (him) a dime. I just don't think anyone will be sympathetic. It would be like O.J. Simpson suing for mistreatment by (detective) Mark Fuhrman."

Fieger, however, believes the police officers involved in the case should face some type of discipline for what he called "gratuitous kicks" to the suspect "after he was handcuffed."

"I think they should be held accountable," Fieger said. "From what I observed, they should in some way be disciplined."

The case involves Andrew Jackson Jr., 51, who on Monday filed a lawsuit in U.S. District Court in Detroit, alleging police used excessive force when they arrested him on a Detroit sidewalk on Jan. 12, in violation of his civil rights.

"Mr. Jackson did not resist the arrest, and followed all commands of the police officers. During the arrest and after being handcuffed while face down on the ground, Mr. Jackson was severely kicked and beaten by the defendants," the lawsuit states.

Jackson is suing the city of Highland Park, Highland Park Police Sgt. Ronald DuPuis -- who has a checkered past involving three brutality accusations -- the city of Grosse Pointe Park and two of its officers, identified only as John Doe 1 and 2.

Highland Park City Attorney Nikkiya Branch defended DuPuis' actions, saying the officer acted appropriately.

"Our position is that no wrongdoing was committed," Branch said. "I feel confident that the officer acted within the guidelines of the law."

According to court documents, over the last decade, DuPuis has been named in three police brutality lawsuits, including one that accused him of assaulting a mentally disabled man; another said he Tasered a former partner. He has never been charged with any crimes.

According to Branch, DuPuis is working on restricted duty due to an on-the-job injury. She said the police department is awaiting the results of a Michigan State Police investigation into the arrest to determine whether to discipline DuPuis.

As for the filing of Jackson's lawsuit, Branch said she was not surprised, noting a lawyer was on the case right away.

"I knew that he would try to file something," Branch said.

The Grosse Pointe police department declined comment.

The lawsuit seeks compensation for physical injuries, as well as emotional distress and mental anguish, stemming from the arrest. The accused officers were part of a stolen vehicle task force.

A nearby resident captured the arrest on amateur video and posted it on Facebook. It went viral and triggered controversy, including protests from demonstrators who criticized police and demanded they be charged.

"Mr. Jackson does not have to be a lovable person. All he has to be is an American citizen who feels his rights were violated," " said Ronald Scott, spokesman for the Detroit Coalition Against Police Brutality, who believes Jackson's lawsuit has merit.

"The law protects us all from unreasonable search and seizures, from brutality and from excessive force," said Scott, adding: "That's what this is about ... No matter who Mr. Jackson is, that could have been anyone of us on the street. And we don't deserve to have anyone treat us as judge, jury and executioner on the streets."

The grandmother who was carjacked that day while cleaning snow off her car has a different view. In an interview with the Free Press, she said that no one should feel sorry for him given what he put her family through.

"Why didn't he treat me and my grandkids like human beings?" said the woman, a 55-year-old medical assistant who requested her name be withheld. "He terrorized three people. And I want (protesters) to humanize me. When you say, 'Oh that poor man — are you OK with the fact that he pulled a gun on my face?"

The victim believes the officers acted appropriately.

"My family? We're backing the cops," said the grandmother, who was especially irked when she heard the suspect asking for Jesus when he was getting arrested.

""He's calling on Jesus?" she said. "Where was Jesus when he pulled his gun on us."

The police chased Jackson for about a quarter mile before catching him.

Jackson, who is back in state prison on a parole violation for an earlier conviction, faces a multitude of charges including carjacking, armed robbery, assault with intent to rob while armed, felonious assault, carrying a concealed weapon, felon in possession of a firearm, unlawful driving away of an automobile, resisting and obstructing, and felony firearm, the prosecutor's office said.

His arrest is under investigation by the Michigan State Police.

Free Press staff writers Elisha Anderson and Gina Damron contributed to this report.



