PRESS RELEASE - EXCESSIVE FORCE - BODY-SLAM OF MR. PERDOMO

Victim of Police Brutality and Traumatic Brain Injury, Yoni Perdomo, Seeks Justice with Lawsuit Against League City Government Authorities

On May 12, 2024, Yoni Perdomo filed a lawsuit against the City of League City, Texas, the League City Police Department, and Officers Trevor Rector and Tanner Surrat seeking an unprecedented amount in the millions.

The lawsuit contends Mr. Perdomo is the victim of police brutality caused by unreasonable use of excessive force. Mr. Perdomo experienced a stroke after Officer Trevor Rector body-slammed him face-first into a concrete sidewalk, resulting in injuries that require a lifetime of rehabilitation and care.

The incident occurred on May 13, 2022, when Yoni Perdomo called 911 for help from a job site where he sought to retrieve his tools and final paycheck. Due to his limited English speech, he struggled to communicate with the dispatcher. The job site manager snatched Mr. Perdomo’s phone from him and demanded that officers be sent to remove Perdomo From the property.

Officer Trevor Rector arrived on the scene as Mr. Perdomo was exiting the property. Officer Rector shouted at Perdomo, “Do you speak English?!?”, "Are you stupid?!?" In an act of submission, Mr. Perdomo placed his hands behind his back and walked backward towards Officer Rector. Closing the distance, Yoni Perdomo bumped into Officer Rector, who responded by forcefully “taking him to the ground”, according to the Police Report. The bodycam footage reflects that upon impact, Perdomo immediately began convulsing and bleeding from his ear.

Officer Surrat’s delay in requesting EMS services exacerbated Mr. Perdomo’s severe injuries which include: Traumatic brain injury and permanent brain damage; Left temporal lobe contusion; Right-side facial hemiparesis; Hematoma of the right parietal scalp Right-side hemiplegia; Intractable headaches.

Crucial aspects of the incident were captured on bodycam footage, but previous court records confirm the League City Police Department purged the 911 call recording. This violation of City Code of Ordinance Section 2-273, Subsection(c), highlights the claims issues regarding evidence destruction and adherence to protocol by League City Officials.

This case encompasses several questions surrounding city accountability, police training, excessive force practices, body cam protocols, and the legal need for bilingual 911 services for Hispanic residents, who are the second-largest population in the State of Texas. This is the 15th lawsuit on record against League City since 2006. The outcome could have historical implications for League City, the State of Texas, and beyond.