HOUSTON — A former Madisonville High School student alleges she was targeted and suffered excessive use of force by the school's assistant principal and school police officers during a 2017 high school basketball game.
Malea Byrd filed a complaint Nov. 15 in the Houston Division of the Southern District of Texas against the city of Madisonville, Madisonville Consolidated Independent School District, Johnny Cornelius and George Sweetin, alleging violation of the Fourth and 14th Amendments and civil rights violations.
According to the complaint, Byrd was attending a high school basketball game Nov. 14, 2017, when she was singled out and during a confrontation with the assistant principal. The suit states she was grabbed by the shirt and had the shirt ripped as school police officers assisted in twisting her arm and throwing her to the ground. This, the lawsuit states, resulted in injuries that required a visit to Madisonville St. Joseph Hospital.
The plaintiff says was charged with assault on a public servant, which was later dismissed, and expelled from school. Byrd said she sustained pain and suffering, mental anguish, medical expenses and loss of wages.
Byrd seeks monetary relief in excess of the minimum jurisdictional limits of the court, trial by jury and all other just relief. She is represented by attorney Daryl Washington of The Washington Law Firm PC in Dallas.
Houston Division of the Southern District of Texas case number 4:19-CV-04473