bee's employees who witnessed the incident described the encounter as traumatic.

 It's just sad. I just felt bad for the baby, that it had to go through that traumatic event,  Jennifer Harris, the manager on duty that night, told WISN.

Another employee, Hal Klibowitz, told the station,  The second he said he wanted to enjoy his food and for them to go away, the officers should have left him alone. 

Internal Investigation Findings

The complaint cites an internal Kenosha Police Department use-of-force investigation that allegedly found several of Vences' strikes were unreasonable and no longer justified, and that a hair grab used during the incident was an untrained technique.

The lawsuit also alleges Courtier was later suspended over issues related to aftercare, communication and reporting.

WISN's coverage tracked the case after the arrests. In August 2023, WISN reported that English and Boyd publicly demanded accountability through their attorney.

In December 2023, WISN reported that a Kenosha County judge dismissed the charges after prosecutors requested the dismissals. After the charges were dropped, Boyd told WISN,  This is something that I watch on TV. I never expect this to happen to me. 

The new federal complaint seeks compensatory damages, punitive damages against the individual officers, attorney fees and other relief. The allegations have not yet been tested in court.

Civil Rights Attorney B'Ivory LaMarr is representing English Jr.

 This case represents a profound failure of constitutional policing,  LaMarr wrote in a statement to news outlets Tuesday.  This lawsuit extends beyond Mr. English and his family. It is about reaffirming that constitutional rights belong to every American. We intend to pursue this matter vigorously and seek accountability for conduct that, if proven, represents a serious breach of the public trust. 

12 News has reached out to Kenosha police for a response to the pending lawsuit. As of Tuesday night, the department had not yet responded. Generally, departments do not comment on pending litigation.