LAWYERS FOR THE 14-year-old Texas boy who was arrested for bringing a clock to school are demanding $15 million in compensation for “severe psychological trauma”.
In letters written to Irving City Hall and the city’s police department, Ahmed Mohamed and his family are demanding an apology and monetary compensation for his arrest.
The letters are seeking $10 million from the city and $5 million from the police force and say they will begin legal proceedings unless they are complied with within sixty days.
In September, the teenager brought a homemade clock to his school to show a teacher, but another teacher thought it could be a bomb. The school contacted police, who ultimately chose not to charge him with having a hoax bomb, though he was suspended from school.
The incident gained worldwide attention with people saying that it was an example of racial stereotyping. Mohamed subsequently left the school in question.
The school, however, defended their decision, saying they were being vigilant and some conservative commentators also praised the school’s strict response
In today’s letters, the lawyers claim that the youngster’s life has been completely changed and by what happened and that he “will forever be be associated with bomb-making wholly without basis”.
The legal letters say the family have been forced to leave their home because their address was circulated online with that the 14-year-old also subjected to abuse online.
Lawyers provide a number of examples including:
“Ahmed having his 14-year-old face superimposed onto a famous image of Osama Bin Laden – beard included – appearing below a blogger’s rant against the “parents of this little terrorist in training.”
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