TALLAHASSEE -- A man is suing the City of Tallahassee for allegedly being illegally detained after being mistaken by police for someone else.
Troy Zanders filed a complaint on July 6 in Leon County Circuit Court against the City of Tallahassee for an illegal arrest.
According to the complaint, on Oct. 20, 2020, Zanders was walking to work when he noticed a Ford SUV following him. Out of fear, Zanders allegedly video-called a friend and pointed the camera over his shoulder.
Zanders alleges that the occupant of the vehicle began calling out to him "Mr. Green." Zanders alleges that suddenly he was surrounded by marked and unmarked police vehicles.
Officer Sexton then announced that he knew Zanders, and it was not the man they were looking for, but Mark Lewis placed Zanders in a kneeling position and handcuffed him, knowing that Zanders was not the man they were looking for, he did not fit the description and was not wearing the clothes described as the offender was wearing, the suit says. Zanders alleges that he was wrongfully and illegally detained as the police had no reason for his arrest.
Zanders is represented by Mutaqee Akbar of Akbar Law Firm, PA.
Circuit Court of the Second Judicial Circuit in and for Leon County, Florida filing number 130134918