Teo Valencia family filing federal lawsuit against City of Newark

On August 22, Maria Magdalena Rodriguez and Teodoro Valencia, the parents of Teo Valencia, 23, will file a federal civil rights lawsuit against the City of Newark and the unnamed police officer who shot Teo Valencia to death on March 11, 2016. The lawsuit seeks damages for Teo Valencia’s wrongful death in violation of the Fourth Amendment to the U.S. Constitution and federal and state law.

The Newark Police Department carries an AR-15 to every traffic stop. Operating with this mindset, an officer hid behind a metal door and waited for Teo Valencia to exit, then shot him in the back after he had left the building. Surveillance video confirms that Newark PD has lied about what happened.

That officer acted as judge, jury and executioner without ever seeing Teo’s face - His reflexive incompetence and cowardice took away a beloved brother to five siblings, doting son to two proud parents and friend to many.

Today the Valencia family and their lawyers at Siegel & Yee seek answers and justice with the following demands:

— Tell the truth: Retraction and public apology from the Newark Police Department; as well as naming the officer.

— Accountability for murder: The officer who hunted Teo down must face the consequences of his actions through being terminated, as well as criminal prosecution.

— De-militarize the Newark Police Department: This includes the removal of AR-15 assault rifles and similar combat weapons; as well as basic de-escalation training and an emphasis on minimizing use of force.

“This is one of the most egregious cases I have ever seen,” said Dan Siegel of Siegel & Yee and the Anti Police-Terror Project. “The only word for what the police officer did to Teodoro is murder.”

Teo served his community generously, most visibly as a barber who painstakingly worked on each haircut and provided guidance and a sounding board for people of all ages who came to his chair. He would even cut people's hair for free.

One neighbor said that when her 7 year-old found out about Teo’s death, he had to be brought home from school because he was so distraught. This man was part of the fabric of the neighborhood and his loss has been devastating.

“The war on Black and Brown bodies in this country must come to an end,” said Cat Brooks of the Anti Police-Terror Project. “We will not rest until there is justice for this family - and all families that fall victim to unwarranted, brutal state-sanctioned terror.”