It's been two years to the day since a group of kids, aged 12-15, shoved 19-year-old Octavius Lanier into a moving DART train while trying to rob him of his cell phone at MLK Station. Lanier, who was on his way home from a doctor's appointment, was dragged for about 30 feet, severing his femoral artery.
Dallas County's criminal courts have already meted out what justice they were capable of, handing down sentences ranging from seven to 30 years to the attackers. Now, it's the case moves to civil court.
On Wednesday, Lanier's mother Takeysha Keys filed a wrongful death lawsuit against DART and her son's four attackers individually, all of whom are currently in juvenile lockup.
See also: After Yesterday's Shooting at DART Station, Caraway Wants Agency To Do "Something"
The suit blames DART for failing to intervene in the attack, either on the train, where the boys taunted him for the entire train ride, or on the platform, where they began punching and kicking him.
"Rather than call for help or take other action to stop the beating, the DART train conductor sped away from MLK station leaving Octavius to defend himself," the suit says.
Only in February 2012, after two subsequent murders, did DART Police Chief James Spiller announce that he was security by adding uniformed officers to every train. That, the suit says, was too little, too late.
Keys, who is represented by McKinney attorney Lennie Bollinger, is asking the court for at least $1 million.
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