BLM protester files excessive force lawsuit against CSPD officer who wrote ‘KILL EM ALL’ comment
COLORADO SPRINGS, Colo. (KRDO) -- Nearly a year after being disciplined for writing "KILL 'EM ALL" on a KRDO livestream of a Black Lives Matter protest, Colorado Springs Police Sergeant Keith Wrede is facing a new lawsuit from a Black Lives Matter protester alleging excessive force.
A new lawsuit filed Wednesday on behalf of Celia Palmer involves an incident separate from the protest that sparked Wrede's "KILL 'EM ALL" comments. The lawsuit alleges that Wrede "ambushed" Palmer, slammed her to the ground "for no reason," and arrested her "in a blatant attempt to cover up" excessive use of force against another BLM protester on June 2, 2020.
According to the lawsuit, Palmer attended the protest to "honor the life of George Floyd," but CSPD officers issued an order to disperse at about 10:43 p.m. The lawsuit claims the order to disperse was unconstitutional and issued in response to the officers being tired of crowds criticizing them.
The lawsuit says Palmer left the protest to comply with the order and started walking to her car when she got to the area of S. Nevada Ave. and E. Cimarron Street. At that intersection, she saw a CSPD officer allegedly "harassing a young Black man." One of Palmer's friends stepped closer to the Black man "to try to diffuse the situation," but the CSPD officer sprayed the pair of them with OC spray.
After being sprayed, Palmer and her friend left the area and walked down E. Cimarron Street toward her car, according to the lawsuit. Wrede and another officer, Wesley Woodworth, followed the two of them, and the lawsuit says at one point Wrede tackled them from behind "without any warning whatsoever." Woodworth allegedly "jerked Ms. Palmer's head around using her hair and slammed it against the ground."
According to the lawsuit, Palmer went limp after being tackled and the "uses of force caused Palmer to suffer a traumatic brain injury." Palmer was then arrested and charged with obstruction, but that charge was dismissed.
The lawsuit claims there was no basis for using force against Palmer and says Woodworth "falsely wrote in his report that Palmer attempted to push Wrede."
Neither officers' body cameras were activated until after the physical altercation. KRDO obtained video from Woodworth's and Wrede's body-worn cameras, and both of them start after Palmer and her friend are in control on the ground.
The lawsuit was filed by Killmer, Lane & Newman, and the firm has a history of filing lawsuits against police departments in Colorado on behalf of victims who allege excessive force.
Attorneys say Wrede's "true purpose in brutalizing Palmer was revealed one month later" when he posted "KILL THEM ALL" on KRDO's Facebook livestream of a protest on Interstate 25.
"It is clear that Defendant Wrede was trying to injure Ms. Palmer simply because she supported the Black Lives Matter movement and that Defendant Colorado Springs has no qualms continuing to employ police officers who have – and openly express – homicidal thoughts about Black Lives Matter supporters," the lawsuit says.
The lawsuit alleges eight civil rights violations, including unlawful arrest and malicious prosecution.
We reached out to CSPD, but a spokesperson said the department couldn't give a comment on the pending litigation.
This is a developing story, check back for updates.
