White Beaumont Cops Claim Immunity From $7 Million Lawsuit b/c 'They Acted Appropriately' When They Battered Black Man w/Metal Flashlights Outside Walmart

From [MORE] Attorneys for the Black man who was beat and tazed in front of Walmart by white cops have filed a $7 million federal lawsuit against the retail giant, the City of Beaumont and several white police officers.

The suit claims Beaumont police officers used excessive force on Demarcus Brown in front of the Walmart on Dowlen back in 2016. It also says he shouldn't have been in custody in the first place. Brown was suspected of shoplifting.

The documents say he surrendered to police but officers tazed him and beat him repeatedly with flashlights.

Brown needed stitches on his head and had a broken eye socket from a scuffle with police. 

Officers arrested Brown claiming he stole a television from the Dowlen Road Walmart. A loss prevention employee who monitored Brown while he was in Walmart says Brown took a shopping cart to the TV section, put one in his basket then walked to the back of the store.

But he says Brown never crossed the point of sale line and initially Walmart did not consider it theft. The Walmart employee testified at his criminal trial that it was police officers who convinced store officials they had enough evidence for a theft case. [MORE]

A criminal trial originally resulted in a mistrial, then Brown plead guilty to felony theft and resisting arrest because he didn't want to go back to court [$] after white prosecutors threatened to re-bring the case again. 

The City of Beaumont filed an answer to the complaint in federal court denying all of the allegations. An attorney for the city said the officers have 'official immunity' because they acted appropriately.