Cellphone video evidence conflicted with the version of events given by deputies and exonerated him.
Riverside County, CA — Another chilling incident showcasing the deeply entrenched culture of abuse and deceit within the American law enforcement mixture with public education has come to light. Riverside County taxpayers were forced to make amends in the amount of $400,000 to Daniel Silvas, the father of a 13-year-old boy who was allegedly assaulted and falsely accused of resisting arrest by sheriff’s deputies in 2018.
The boy, a freshman at San Jacinto High School at the time of the incident, faced a harrowing ordeal on only his second day at school. It began when he was singled out by security officer Jesus Peraza under the pretense of a suspicion of impending trouble, a suspicion that attorney Jerry Steering, representing the boy, ties back to fights at the school the previous day.
The boy, aware of his innocence, chose to protest and walk away from the confrontation, a decision that triggered a chain of events culminating in an alleged assault and subsequent framing. The school’s resource deputy Derrick Bunn and the security officer followed him in what the lawsuit describes as an “intimidating” manner. The situation escalated when the boy asked the two to stop tailing him, leading to Deputy Bunn reportedly shoving the boy to the ground.
What followed was a spectacle of police brutality, with Bunn repeatedly screaming expletives at the minor while beating him. Not wanting to miss out on the sadistic beating of a child, Deputy Timothy Dunlap joined the fray. Despite video evidence that contradicted their claims, the deputies and Peraza maintained that the boy had taken a fighting stance and cursed at them.
Adding insult to injury, the 13-year-old was charged with violently resisting arrest. The lawsuit highlights how the officers conspired to fabricate evidence against the boy and pin the blame on him.
“Unfortunately, the Riverside County District Attorney’s Office is more interested in protecting peace officers from liability for their outrages against the public than they are in truth or justice,” lamented Steering. This statement paints a bleak picture of law enforcement agencies, pointing out the disturbing reality that charges of ‘battery on a peace officer’ or ‘resisting arrest’ are frequently manipulated to cover up instances of excessive force by peace officers.
Fortunately for the boy, in 2019, he was acquitted by a Juvenile Court judge, a victory that might have been impossible without the existence of the cellphone footage. The case underscores the terrifying reality: had it not been for the cellphone footage, this young boy could have ended up behind bars, victimized by the very system that claims to ensure his safety. The officials at Riverside County Sheriff’s Department, unsurprisingly, have remained silent on the matter.
Article posted with permission from Matt Agorist
