Cetera Jones, the mother of a 7-year-old boy with special needs, has filed a federal lawsuit against an elementary school resource officer at Levi Elementary School in Memphis for allegedly using excessive force against her son. According to her, the school cop threw her son, who is referred to as LJ in the complaint, into a bookcase, slammed him to the ground, and handcuffed him after he misbehaved in class on November 24, 2024.
According to the lawsuit, a copy of which was obtained by Atlanta Black Star, the boy suffered a black eye and was left traumatized after the assault. In it, Jones said that her son’s behavioral outburst was related to his disability.
The complaint further stated that LJ’s teacher and an unnamed school resource officer (SRO) used ‘unreasonable force’ rather than crisis interventions and de-escalation tactics appropriate for a disabled second grader with special needs…