The club in question was the Pink Monkey, in downtown Houston, described as a legal after-hours club. In 2008 it was raided. Two employees who worked outside the building were detained, including Donald Boyd.
Boyd has had Lupus for some years, which led to a stroke, all before this incident. But it was how he was handled during the police raid that led to the jury award of $17,500 in a judgment against the city.
"The cop comes up to me and slams me on the ground," Boyd recalled. "I can't believe this is going on. Then once they had me on the ground, they start to try to take my atrophied arm and take it behind my back. "
The jury awarded only $1 to Boyd for unreasonable search and seizure by Houston police. The city is considering an appeal.
