A Black man, John Marks, has filed a civil rights lawsuit against the city of Manvel, Texas, and its police officers, claiming he was falsely arrested for sexually assaulting his white neighbor during a home celebration. This case highlights ongoing issues of racial injustice and the treatment of Black men in the legal system.
On Nov. 9, 2023, Marks, 40, and his friend Freddie Douglas Jr., 43, engaged in consensual sexual activity with Amanda Zawieruszynski, a neighbor with whom Marks had an intimate relationship. A week later, Zawieruszynski filed a police report alleging that she was raped and held against her will by both men.
Marks was arrested on Dec. 7, 2023, and charged with aggravated sexual assault and aggravated kidnapping, which carry severe penalties. Douglas was also arrested and subsequently lost his job as a police detective. Both men maintained their innocence and were released on bond.
In March 2024, a grand jury declined to indict either man after reviewing the evidence, including surveillance footage from Marks’ home. The footage reportedly showed Zawieruszynski arriving without distress, engaging in consensual activities, and having multiple opportunities to leave if she felt threatened.
In his lawsuit, filed on Aug. 21, 2024, Marks argues that the Manvel police failed to conduct a proper investigation and ignored evidence that could have exonerated him. He claims that...
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