Black Man says Dover Police Searched his Store for No Reason, Detained him and Beat him

Wboc

Two African American men. Two legal cases that are re-igniting questions about possible Dover police brutality.

Antonio Barlow and James Wilson are at the center of two separate lawsuits filed against Dover City Police.

"I'm already on the ground like this and he hit me again," said Wilson as he describes his ordeal.

Wilson says an officer hit him in the head with a blunt object twice. He says this all started when police initiated a search warrant of his downtown store in April. Wilson says investigators were looking for drugs.

"I supposedly sold (drugs) to a confidential informant, which produced probable cause. The police chief said when we had a police meeting that I sold to two undercover cops. I never got a charge for none of this. Somebody is lying," said Wilson.

Wilson says he is now suing Dover PD for $50 million.

According to a lawsuit filed by Wilson in the U.S. District Court, he names 10 law enforcement officials he's suing, including those from probation and parole.         
      
Police say they won't comment on a pending lawsuit.

Wilson says he initially got a call that someone may have robbed his store. He says he arrived to find another man being handcuffed by police. He says, while sitting in his vehicle, officers dressed in all black approached his car. He says one officer used his patrol car to block his vehicle, while another approached with his gun drawn.  

"First, I just had my hands up. I saw the officer pointing the gun towards my face and walking towards me, my thought was, I know about black and black crime and about officers shooting unarmed victims, so I panicked out of fear," said Wilson.

He says he panicked and tried to speed off, but he says he hit a building and then ran into another vehicle, injuring people inside. Wilson says he also suffered injuries from the crash.

Wilson admits he's been in trouble with the law before, but says this time, he did nothing wrong.

"In a situation like this, it only creates a greater rift between the black community and the police department," said Wilson.

Interestingly, Wilson and Antonio Barlow are cousins.

A court date has not yet been set for Wilson.