Four Stockton cops viciously beat Black student, 17 – Burris filing federal suit

The prominent civil rights attorney who represented Rodney King will present shocking, never before seen body cam video

by Lee Houskeeper

“No mother should see or hear her son beaten by the police and helplessly crying from the pain. This has been a mother’s worse nightmare.” – Devin Carter’s mother, Jessica Carter.

Stockton, Calif. – On Dec. 30, 2020, Devin Carter, a 17-year-old high school student, was stopped for allegedly speeding. Once stopped, Stockton police officers Michael Stiles and Omar Villapuda, without any provocation or cause, pulled the young Black man from his car and viciously beat him. 

A new video captures these two recently fired officers and two additional Stockton police officers repeatedly punching and kicking Devin about his face and back while calling him profane names and using threats of criminal prosecutions for crimes he had not committed. Visit https://johnburrislaw.com/dc-stockton/ for body camera footage, also posted here.

The shocking video shows that Devin continually told the four officers that he was not resisting, but they kept hitting him and falsely claiming that he was resisting. The officers’ body-worn cameras clearly show that the terrified young man was not resisting but was shouting, screaming for his very life. Devin was afraid that the officers were going to beat him to death.

“These vicious cops acted like a pack of wolves, and Devin was their evening meal.”

“The officers’ conduct was so atrocious that they should be criminally prosecuted,” John Burris states. “The most troubling aspect of this case is that these officers must have believed that they were somehow immune from department discipline and could get away with their conduct, knowing that their body-worn cameras were on.” 

Burris concludes: “These vicious cops acted like a pack of wolves, and Devin was their evening meal. I have not seen a police officer beating this outrageous since my former client Rodney King was beaten by LAPD officers back in March of 1991.”

Jessica Carter, Devin’s mother, said: “No mother should see or hear her son beaten by the police and helplessly crying from the pain. This has been a mother’s worst nightmare.” George Carter, Devin’s dad, expressed: “I am angry that my son, who has been taught to respect the law, was beaten by these bad cops, especially since he has law enforcement in his family and knows that this is not acceptable behavior from police officers.”

Officers Michael Stiles and Omar Villapuda have been terminated for their role, and all officers are under investigation for criminal prosecution by the district attorney.

In a career spanning 35 years, attorney John Burris has represented high-profile officials, entertainers and athlete, as well as ordinary people who faced illegal obstacles in employment or abuse at the hands of police. He served as co-counsel in the Rodney King civil trial and lead counsel in the infamous Oakland Police Department “Riders” class action. Call Burris’ office at 510-839-5200 to seek the justice you deserve. He proudly serves Oakland, San Francisco and Los Angeles. Contact Lee Houskeeper of San Francisco Stories at [email protected].

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