A woman is suing the Antioch Police Department for a 2019 incident during which she says two officers — one of whom was allegedly a participant in the Antioch police texting scandal — broke her arm, did not offer her medical assistance for more than an hour, and entered her residence without her permission.
Claudjanae Young says in the lawsuit, filed Wednesday in federal court, she was inside her garage removing her child from her car on Oct. 20, 2019, when Antioch police officers Erik Nilsen and Devon Wenger pulled up and entered the garage without her consent or a search warrant.
The suit says the officers took her arms, slammed her against a wall, then onto the ground, causing her arm to break, which the suit says “was indicated by a large popping sound defendants heard.”
The City of Antioch is listed as a defendant in the suit, as are Nilsen and Wenger.
The suit alleges “Despite knowing that the Plaintiff was suffering a broken arm, Defendants placed the Plaintiff in handcuffs behind her back, causing her to suffer intense pain. Neither Defendants ever attempted to stop the Plaintiff from suffering pain, by having the handcuffs removed or having the Plaintiff handcuffed from the front.”
The suit says “numerous” Antioch police officers and at least one supervising officer showed up and witnessed Young being handcuffed behind her back “with a broken arm and none of these officers ever attempted to intervene in stopping the Plaintiff from suffering pain, by having the handcuffs removed or having the Plaintiff handcuffed from the front.”
“The Plaintiff was detained in handcuffs behind her back with a broken arm, causing her to suffer intense pain for approximately an hour,” the suit says.
It adds Young wasn’t armed and didn’t pose a threat to anyone, nor was she attempting to flee or evade arrest.
The Contra Costa County District Attorney’s Office said Thursday police arrested Young on Oct. 20, 2019 for shoplifting. The case was referred to the district attorney’s office, where Young was charged with second-degree robbery and resisting, obstructing or delaying a peace officer or an EMT, according to Ted Asregadoo, the DA’s public information officer.
Young took a plea deal in July 2020, the details of which included staying away from Walmart, Champs, and “the Halloween Store.”
The Antioch Police Department has been under investigation by the FBI and the Contra Costa District’s Attorney’s Office for more than a year, over alleged civil rights violations.
The state attorney general’s office has also opened an investigation, and at least two local members of Congress have asked the U.S. Justice Department to investigate.
This is at least the third lawsuit brought against the Antioch Police Department by at least eight defendants (six sued together) since news broke earlier this year that at least 45 officers — 16 in management positions — were part of racist and homophobic text message chains. Messages also included threats of violence against people of color, including at least one against Antioch Mayor Lamar Thorpe.
An unknown number of officers have been suspended while the investigations continue. Young’s lawsuit says Wenger was involved in the texting scandal.
42 comments
Good. She shouldn’t be stealing. Anyone who steals should get their arms broken and maybe they’ll stop stealing !
Doesn’t popping happen with dislocated bones? Kid in the car yikes! CPS Three years ago and just now saw the money dangling…. No judgement just a lot of questions…
Gonna have to triple antioch police officer signing bonus.
Why taint a perfectly good resume by working for antioch.
With woke majority city council, city is circling the drain.
If she didn’t steal she wouldn’t be in that situation.A criminal is a criminal.My guess is she did resist and making up a story.
Of course she was resisting! These criminals never think anything is their fault. Add to that that every criminal complains of some medical problem when arrested so they can make it more difficult.
High 5 to the officers that roughed up a caught shoplifter! Should of used the batons upside her head as well.
Start treating the scumbag shoplifters like this and they’ll think twice before doing it.
And this law abiding citizen waited 3 years to bring a lawsuit … yeah, I believe in coincidences. LOL
Was she resisting arrest? On drugs? drunk? … need more info
Probably all of the above.
The broken arm should slow down her shoplifting pursuits… until Becton gets her back to her usual routine.
I have no sympathy for thieves. Stop breaking the law A******!
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Sounds like a bandwagon lawsuit to me.
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Really, she waited three years? .. .seriously lacking any credibility!
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And stop stealing, you low life thief!!!
Theft or no theft. That women was tortured. No one has the right to abuse someone and abuse is not a right.
Allegedly…. Never believe everything you hear or read, and only half of what you see.
Erin…. do the world a favor and don’t ever serve on a jury. You are what is known as a “sucker”.
I agree, certainly arrest her, put handcuffs on her, however if her arm did break get medical attention and perhaps place her arm in front. Of course when someone think it is okay to steal they might also be prone to lying. I witnessed mall security detain a woman at SunValley mall, she was average height a little over weight and maybe late twenties or do, yet 3 mall security guards had trouble controlling her she was so enraged. People that steal don’t like to get caught. It is hard to know what really happened.
Hanne,
Thanks for providing all 5 sides to any issue, you never disappoint?
You claim the thug was tortured, but a more believable theory is that she was resisting arrest, but badly.
And you believe a criminal. Fantastic. People like you are why our country sucks now.
Imported Liberalism.
In a grid down situation…multiply this by thousands. We ain’t seen nothing yet. Stack it to the rafters.
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We have plenty of ammo.
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Play stupid games and you receive stupid prizes
The road goes on for ever and the party never ends
well this is more then shoplifting . it’s a robbery , which involves force or fear.
Curious how “numerous officers, including a supervisor” showed up and witnessed her being handcuffed. So how many officers showed up to her garage? Though not mentioned in the story, I would assume there are hospital/urgent care records, x-rays, billing charges for casting or slings, etc. that could support her story. And, as others have wisely pointed out, it only took her 2 1/2 years to come up with a lawsuit? Apparently, there are videos to corroborate her story (of being handcuffed on a curb) and it took the ambulance an hour to get there (do the Antioch Police manage the pace/response time of these?). Story sounds fishy to me, somebody looking for a quick payout from a beleaguered department.
2 1/2 years ain’t so bad…. maybe her lawyer is John Durham.
My question would be how would the police officers know that the arm was broken? Was there visible deformity of the limb? You couldn’t really be certain unless of obvious deformity to the extremity and an X ray…
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I’m not condoning violence by law enforcement but criminals earn a good ass whoopin’.
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Calling John Burris?
Only if she’s black
another bottom feeding thief looking for financial gain for a situation they caused themself……ignorance is real
Please! Her arm didn’t hurt when she was stealing and selling the stollen goods. This nonsense is getting out of hand. If you do the crime, do the time.
It’s going to be a rough and costly few years for Antioch. Prediction- The lawsuits will keep coming and the City will be inundated with claims of police brutality. Many of the claims will be unfounded but lawyers like Burris will rake Antioch over the coals. I don’t know if Antioch is self insured or no,t but if so they are, they are in for a world of hurt. Bankruptcy will be the only option. All kinds of bad will come from this whole scandal. Mayor should of handled this differently and kept it in house but he had to go to the media and throw it out there for the whole world to digest including the freeloaders. Get ready for the storm Mayor Thorpe!
It is well deserved. Thorpe created this problem and the people who elected him deserve it. I feel sorry for the cops.
She should contact State of California Unemployment Dept. to get 50% payout for only having one arm useless. She can still steal with the other hand but only half as much.
Another insect that needs to be culled from society.
Ghetto trash got off easy sounds like. I just got a summons please god put me in that jury.
After a little searching online I found out that this person has multiple arrests (not convictions necessarily) in the last 5 years. She is only 24 mind you. So no minor records available.
First arrest listed is the one she is suing for.
Arrested For 148(A)(1) – Resist / Obstruct / Delay Peace Officer
182(A)(1) – Conspiracy To Commit A Crime
212.5 – Vehicle Robbery
Arrest Date October 20, 2019
Arrested For 243(B) – Battery On Peace Officer/Emergency Personnel
Arrest Date November 24, 2018
Arrested For 242 – Battery
415(1) – Disturbing The Peace By Fighting
Arrest Date May 16, 2018
Your quick search added much more to the story. Odd how the media didn’t add this info
I am sure she was yelling what did I do? I know my rights, I need your name and badge number. I feel bad for her child, and the Police Officers.
All lies. Piling on to try to sue the Dept. this person needs to be incarcerated and spanked.
Consequences, dumb ‘s’.
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