GOT THE WRONG GUY

Man Sues Dallas Cops For Excessive Force After Mistaken Identity Arrest

An officer mistook Silvester Hayes for another man with the same name wanted for family violence.

A Dallas man who was beaten by officers while being arrested in a case of mistaken identity is suing the city for the cops’ use of excessive force. According to his lawsuit, police did not bother to verify his identity before arresting him. The man, named Silvester Hayes, was pulled over and informed police that he had a legally owned handgun in his car. After Hayes showed his ID, an officer apparently mistook him for another Sylvester Hayes who was wanted for family violence charges. When police ordered Silvester Hayes out of the vehicle, he refused and once he was on the ground, refused handcuffs. Police put his legs in restraints and can be heard on the bodycam footage running his ID through their database. The officer who misidentified Hayes curses and says at one point, “it may not be him.”