ACLU lawsuit: Boston Police entered wrong apartment, handcuffed family

BOSTON — Boston Police opened a door in a Brighton public housing complex last November in search of a suspect but ended up finding a lawsuit.

In federal court, the ACLU filed a lawsuit suing Boston Police and its SWAT team for entering the wrong apartment with a battering ram, holding a family at gunpoint and handcuffing a mother, father and 15-year-old.

Also inside the apartment, a 5-year-old and a 4-year-old.

The ACLU says it was the wrong door and police did this to innocent people.

Court paperwork obtained by Boston 25 News states: "Police handcuffed Jean and Verlande Regis, and their minor daughter M, all in front of their two youngest children… City police officials later admitted that there was no lawful basis for the entry into the Regis home."

Boston Police declined to comment since this is in litigation.

However, a Boston Police source told Boston 25 News that there are rules in place when police forcibly enter a home.

In this case, our source tells us that the person who swore on the affidavit to obtain a search warrant was not allowed in because police were told there was a gun inside.

That person was supposed to point officers to the correct apartment but that information somehow got mixed up.

Boston 25 News reached out to the ACLU which is representing the Regis family, who said in a statement:

“Police failed to take appropriate steps to avoid entering the wrong house, violated the family’s rights, and caused great emotional harm. Police are sworn to keep the peace and public safety, not to violently bang down the wrong door and assault innocent residents of Boston."

Cox Media Group