Tallahassee Police Department sued for false imprisonment after 2022 arrest

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Tallahassee, FL - Julian Bennett says he was put into cuffs by Tallahassee Police Department officers before they even asked him his name.

So, he’s suing, seeking money, but also change at TPD.

In the body camera video, you can see the officers grab onto Bennett without asking for his ID.

Right as the audio for the body camera kicks on, an officer asks Bennett if he “can come over here real quick” as Bennett walks by.

“What’s going on?” Bennett asks. The officer then said, “I’m assuming this is your apartment?”

Bennett laughs and turns to walk away, but is taken to the ground after an officer pulls his taser.

“I think he was mad that I laughed at him and that he just wasn’t able to just take me down on his own. And all he had to do was ask me for my ID and find out... That’s what I would think is textbook police work,” Bennett said.

Bennett’s lawyer, Mutaqee Na’im Akbar, says there’s no doubt in his mind the arrest was illegal. He says the police didn’t even establish the lowest precedent.

“But no matter what that price is, it’s not going to compensate him for what his experience is. I’m sure he would prefer to live the life that he was living before that day,” Akbar said.

Ultimately, Bennett didn’t even live in the same building police were raiding, though he is the same race as the suspect.

He was charged with resisting arrest without violence, but not with an underlying crime. Those charges were dropped by prosecutors.

Bennett said that during the ride to the jail, the officer attempted to convince Bennett that he ran and was somewhat at fault.

He said the officer even showed Bennett his body camera video on his police laptop inside the cruiser.

WCTV is not able to independently verify that claim, and Bennett’s attorney said video of that interaction hasn’t been turned over by the city.

Still, Bennett’s attorney calls it highly unusual.

“If your ego is bruised or if you get your feelings hurt, you don’t then want to do more than what you’re allowed to do legally. And that’s what we saw here,” Akbar said.

According to the lawsuit, Bennett’s false arrest occurred on December 11, 2022, although the lawsuit itself was filed on September 2, 2025.

Akbar said he wrote the city a letter stating Bennett’s claims and giving the city an opportunity to settle outside of court, but he got no meaningful response.

Bennett said he hopes TPD will change its policies to make sure the right person is being arrested.

“And when she goes like this, once I tell them my name, tell ‘em where I’m from, he rubs his head. He’s like, dang... a visible reaction like dang we might have messed up,” Bennett said.

The police department declined to comment.