NEW ORLEANS — The Banks family in Jefferson Parish calls what happened to them unlawful, and are still trying to get some answers from the sheriff’s office.
“Chaos just broke out,” said Damion Banks.
That chaos happened Thursday night. Damion Banks finished helping his mom bring in groceries to Beauchamps, their family catering business in Terrytown. Banks says he then walked up to a suspicious car sitting alone in the parking lot.
“When I approached the vehicle I asked him was he ok, did he need anything, or did he need my assistance,” said Banks.
Turns out ‘he’ is with the Jefferson Parish Sheriff’s Office, but Banks says he never identified himself.
“He had on a black t-shirt and he had on a vest,” said Banks. “You still could be anyone.”
Walking to go back inside, cell phone video shows Banks ending up on the ground, arrested, creating quite a scene as more officers show up.
“They threw me on the ground right here and as I’m on the ground they’re just constantly punching me on the side of my face,” said Banks.
Banks shows pictures of bruises and scraps to his face and arms he says came from excessive force from officers. Banks says he did nothing wrong and still has no idea why he ended up in handcuffs.
“I’m just on the ground yelling ‘why are you punching on me, what did I do,’” said Banks.
Banks says he spent two days in jail. According to the sheriff’s office Banks was booked with illegal carry of a weapon, resisting an officer, and an outstanding violation. Banks says he never had a weapon. Charges are pending.
“I’m trying to explain that this is our place of businesses, this is my son, we didn’t do anything,” said Banks’ mother, Cheryl Banks.
Cheryl says it all happened so fast and couldn’t do anything while she was being verbally assaulted by officers.
“All I could think about or playback in my head is that my child could have got killed,” said Cheryl.
A spokesman for the sheriff’s office says body cam video shows more to the story and no wrongdoing. That spokesman says officers were in the parking lot that night for an unrelated investigation and the Banks have not filed any type of complaint.
“From their behavior and their attitude, I feel like it’s not the first time,” said Damion Banks.
The Banks' say what happened was violating and want that body cam video released, among other things.
“I want them to lose their job,” said Cheryl Banks. “I don’t think they need to be on the force.”
The Banks' say they do plan to get a lawyer before making any formal complaints against the sheriff’s office. Citing an open criminal investigation, the sheriff’s office isn’t releasing that body cam video.