A River Ridge man seen being arrested by a Jefferson Parish Sheriff's Office deputy in a video that has gone viral on Facebook said he is the victim of an unlawful arrest. Donrell Breaux, 26, also questioned the relationship between the responding deputy and the neighbor with which he had a dispute.
"I knew he (the deputy) was a personal friend (of the neighbor)," Breaux said, "and I thought it was an unlawful arrest. I don't have to submit to an unlawful arrest."
NOLA.com | The Times-Picayune on Thursday (April 3) morning left a message on the answering machine of a man that Breaux identified as being the neighbor in question.
The incident occurred Sunday (March 30) in the 200 block of Marmandie Avenue in River Ridge. Part of the encounter was recorded by Breaux's friend, Eric Banegas, and posted on Facebook on Tuesday (April 1). As of Thursday, the video had been shared more than 22,800 times.
Breaux said he and Banegas were standing on Banegas' front porch and talking. He admits to using profanity, but said they were cracking jokes amongst themselves. "It wasn't to the point that we were loud and disturbing people," Breaux said.
The neighbor walked out of his house and warned the two to watch their language. Breaux said the neighbor was belligerent, prompting a brief verbal confrontation that ended with the neighbor telling them he was calling the police.
"He threatens to call the police all the time about stuff in the backyard and stuff going on inside the house. Things like there's too many cars in the driveway," Breaux said. He felt the neighbor was out of line.
About 10 to 12 minutes later, a deputy arrived and spoke for a few minutes with the neighbor, according to Breaux. "Then, he's grabbing my hoodie with handcuffs out. He said, 'Let me see some I.D.,' and grabs my wrist and says, 'You're under arrest,' at the same time," Breaux said. "I thought it was unlawful."
That's when the video begins, according to Breaux.
Breaux, who has been living at the Marmandie Avenue address since December, said he recognized the deputy as a friend of the neighbor. "I've seen him at the residence before," he said.
Breaux said the same about a second officer seen arriving to help the deputy near the end of the video. From the footage, it's not clear whether the officer is a Sheriff's Office deputy. Breaux said the second man is an officer with the East Jefferson Levee District Police Department and had also been to the neighbor's home, possibly as a guest.
"These are personal friends," Breaux said. "I wish I had friends that I could call and have them handle personal vendettas that I have with my neighbors."
Breaux was eventually taken into custody and booked with battery of a police officer, resisting arrest with violence, disorderly conduct and disturbing the peace.
The Sheriff's Office had not commented about the video as of Thursday morning.
Breaux said he is in the midst of trying to obtain an attorney. But money is an issue.
"I'm pretty pissed about the situation," he said. "I feel this is wrong because they do this all the time and nobody ever has it on video. I feel it's a problem with the police and people not knowing their rights."
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