Snowball Case Melts; Teen Sues Detroit Public Schools Over Arrest
DETROIT (WWJ/AP) - A teenager who was locked up for nearly 40 days in a dispute over a snowball has filed a lawsuit against the Detroit school district after a judge dismissed the criminal case.
Dominique Rondeau, now 18, was accused of throwing an icy snowball that shattered the windshield of a police car outside of East English Village High School in December 2013. Unable to come up with $2,000 bond, he spent weeks in juvenile detention until his bond was reduced. In all, Rondeau was locked up for almost 40 days, including Christmas and New Year's Day.
A judge dismissed the case during a bench trial on Feb. 26 after school police officers looked at a video and couldn't identify Rondeau as the person who threw the snowball.
Rondeau now has a lawsuit pending in federal court. He says his rights were violated by the school district and the officers. The district denies any wrongdoing.
The lawsuit is seeking unspecified monetary damages and a jury trial.
TM and © Copyright 2015 CBS Radio Inc. and its relevant subsidiaries. CBS RADIO and EYE Logo TM and Copyright 2015 CBS Broadcasting Inc. Used under license. All Rights Reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed. The Associated Press contributed to this report.
