A Black Los Angeles man has filed a lawsuit against the city of Beverly Hills and its police department for alleged wrongful detention and racial profiling, claiming that an officer detained him for an hour during a traffic stop.
Plaintiff Kion Taylor filed the lawsuit in federal court against the city of Beverly Hills, the Beverly Hills Police Department, and several unnamed individuals, citing wrongful detention, racial profiling, Monell Claims, violations of his Fourth Amendment rights, and violations of the Bane Act.
According to court documents, on October 31, 2021, a police officer of the Beverly Hills Police Department stopped a vehicle in which Taylor was a passenger for a supposed moving violation. The police officer allegedly obtained Taylor's identification, allegedly falsely told him that he had an outstanding warrant, and allegedly detained him for an hour.
Taylor, a Black man, claims that his detainment was the result of systemic and widespread racial profiling by the defendants. He claims that the city of Beverly Hills has a history of discriminatory practices against Black people, allegedly leading to unconstitutional detentions, arrests, and illegal searches and seizures. The plaintiff argues that the defendants have violated the constitutional rights of Taylor and other Black Americans.
Taylor is seeking a judgment for damages plus interest, attorney's fees, court costs and other relief. He is represented by attorney Ludlow B. Creary II, of Los Angeles.
U.S. District Court of the Central District of California, Western Division case number 2:23-cv-09158