Police were on their toes last Memorial Day weekend, hoping to avoid a repeat of 2011 when a group of stunt motorcyclists succeeded in shutting down Central Expressway.
Bikers did descend on Dallas that weekend -- the Calatrava was a rumored target -- but the havoc they wreaked was minimal. In fact, the most notable stunt of the weekend was performed by Dallas County Sheriff's Deputy James Westrbook, who arrested biker Chris Moore and seized his helmet cam.
The arrest might have gone unnoticed had not Moore filmed the whole thing, then gave the film to WFAA's David Schecter. You can watch the whole thing below, but to summarize, Westbrook seizes Moore's camera because he thinks there might be footage of bikers doing illegal things, then cuffs Moore and takes him to Lew Sterrett on an apparently made-up charge of having an obstructed license plate.
Westbrook was suspended for 38 days without pay in September.
That's not quite good enough for Moore, who thinks he's entitled to $1 million in damages. As the Morning News notes this morning, he's suing Westbrook to get it.
Moore argues that Westbrook illegally seized his camera, violated his due process rights, and otherwise violated his rights under the U.S. Constitution. Moore also says Westbrook's clumsy removal of his helmet amounts to assault and battery and that he's suffered "extreme mental anguish."
How that adds up to seven figures, and how he expects a guy on a cop's salary is supposed to pay that, isn't exactly clear, but one supposes it can't hurt to ask.
