ALCU plans to sue City of Pawtucket after 13-year-old student is handcuffed and arrested

PAWTUCKET, R.I. (WLNE): The A.C.L.U. is planning to sue the City of Pawtucket after a 13-year-old student was arrested at school back in June.  

Tre’sur Johnson, now 14, got into a physical altercation with another student at Goff Middle School. According to the A.C.L.U., the fight was quickly broken up by other students and neither student was hurt. 

However, a School Resource Officer watched a video of the incident and arrested Tre’sur for disorderly conduct. 

“They wanted to handcuff my child and walk her through the school,” her mother, Tiqua Johnson, said. “No. Why is this necessary?”

Tiqua said her daughter has never been in trouble at school and was an honor roll student. While she understands why her daughter was suspended for 2 days, she can’t wrap her head around why the S.R.O. would arrest her daughter. 

“There was no need to be arrested in my eyes,” Johnson said. “Yes she was crying but she wasn’t out of control.”

Johnson and her daughter are being represented by an attorney through the A.C.L.U. 

Their attorney, Shannah Kurland, said the officer, identified as Darren Rose, violated Johnson’s Fourth Amendment Constitutional rights. Kurland also said Rose violated state laws. 

Under state law, school officials are prohibited from making students available to police for questioning without first seeking parental consent. 

A legal claim was sent to the City of Pawtucket on Monday, demanding $100,000. According to the claim, they are asking for the amount because of the “unlawful acts of Pawtucket Police and School Department officials.” 

According to state law, the City of Pawtucket has 40 days to respond before the A.C.L.U. can officially file suit. 

Wilder Arboleda, a spokesperson with the city, told ABC6 News in part: 

“This was a serious, violent incident in which the Pawtucket School Department called the Pawtucket Police Department. An officer reported to the school from another assignment to handle the matter. Unfortunately, the actions of the juveniles warranted the decision to arrest and charge both students involved with disorderly conduct.”

©WLNE-TV/ABC6 2020