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'BRAVE Cave' fallout still happening, lawsuits stacking up
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BATON ROUGE - Since the allegations about the BRPD Street Crimes Unit and the incidents that went on inside the so-called 'BRAVE Cave' came to light, there have been nearly 10 separate lawsuits filed against the department.
"I believe that we are just scratching the surface with the street crimes until and I believe more will come out as we proceed," said Attorney Ryan Thompson.
Thompson is handling four street crimes unit-related lawsuits.
"I tried to represent a full gamut of individuals to show that Baton Rouge Police Department, specifically the Street Crimes Unit, didn't care whether you were a juvenile, whether you were 16, 20, whether you were a grandmother, or whether you were a 16-year-old pregnant Black girl."
One of his cases involves the strip search of an 11-year-old boy, a case that's already been in court.
Another is about old allegations that were just recently proven by body cam footage, according to Thompson. They both involve the same family and the same officer.
According to documents obtained by the Investigative Unit, before the incident with the 11-year-old, but during the raid of the family's home, Cpl. Joseph Carboni struck a 15-year-old boy with his Taser while the boy was handcuffed in the back of a police unit.
While in the unit, the boy had been generally uncooperative and was kicking the door.
"For whatever reason, Officer Carboni decides that he's going to "f" that 15-year-old up or 'put him on a ride'...What that means you would have to ask him or the department," said Thompson.
Carboni warned the child that he was going to tase him repeatedly, but instead struck him with the taser.
Following an internal investigation, he was suspended for five days for command of temper, conduct unbecoming, and use of force.
Thompson believes a suspension is not enough.
"The department has already made a finding that an officer violated the use of force policy against a handcuffed 15-year-old that someone was hit in the face with a deadly weapon. I mean, what are we waiting on here? Are we waiting for this to happen again?"
According to BRPD, the internal investigation into the strip search allegations is still ongoing. However, a federal judge ruled their strip search policy was unconstitutional in July.
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