LOS ANGELES -- A woman claims to have been unreasonably seized by police through excessive force during a murder investigation.
Sarah Joyce Jackson filed a complaint on June 16 in the U.S. District Court Central District of California against the County of San Bernardino, Eric P. Dyberg, Gerardo Moreno, Nicolas L. Craig, Eric J. Ogaz and Does 1-10 for unreasonable seizure of person, unreasonable use of force upon person and unlawful entry.
According to the complaint, on Feb. 15, 2019, Marty Palmer was murdered in Highland; he was an acquaintance of Jackson's boyfriend, Nicolas Ibarra.
On July 14, 2020, Dyberg, Craig and Does 1-2 contacted Jackson at her home looking for her boyfriend, who was not at the residence at the time. On July 18, 2020, Craig and Does 1-2 tried to make contact again, and did not believe Jackson when she said her boyfriend was a truck driver and was not home.
Jackson was then allegedly presented with a residential search warrant for her home on July 22, 2020. Jackson alleges she was then handcuffed "cinched down to plaintiff's wrists excessively tight, such as to cause the plaintiff to suffer from excruciating pain" and was further detained unlawfully for three days without charge.
Upon returning home, Jackson found that Does 5-6 had unlawfully taken her cell phone and computer, the suit says. Jackson alleges that all defendants involved used excessive force to unlawfully detain and incarcerate her, causing physical, emotional and mental injury.
Jackson seeks damages for physical, mental and emotional injury, attorney's fees and expenses, lost wages, loss of her property and special damages in the amount of $5 million dollars. Jackson is represented by Jerry L. Steering.