A California man, Thomas Perez Jr., received a $900,000 settlement from the city of Fontana after he was wrongly accused of killing his father and gave detectives a false confession under what his lawyer described as “psychological torture.” Perez was taken to the Fontana Police Department on Aug 8, 2018, after he reported his father missing. Despite never being formally arrested, Perez endured a 17-hour interrogation during which detectives used traumatic techniques, including threatening his dog. However, it was later discovered that his father was alive and well the entire time.
Authorities began suspecting Perez after finding his father’s cellphone and wallet at their shared home, as well as bloodstains and the scent of a deceased human remain odor. Video evidence revealed that officers verbally berated Perez, insinuating that he had killed his father. They also denied him access to his psychiatric medication. Despite Perez maintaining that he did not recall killing his father, authorities attempted to convince him otherwise, going as far as telling him that his father was found dead with stab marks and his remains had been delivered to the morgue.
During the interrogation, detectives brought Perez’s dog into the room and threatened to euthanize her if he did not confess to killing his father. They also brought in a friend to elicit a confession, based on threats of prosecution. After hours of psychological pressure, Perez eventually confessed. He was left alone in the interrogation room afterwards and attempted to hang himself, leading to a psychiatric hold and a 72-hour stay in the hospital. It was only later that authorities discovered Perez’s father was alive and well, concealing this information from Perez during his psychiatric hold.
U.S. District Judge Dolly Gee stated that a reasonable juror could conclude that the detectives inflicted unconstitutional psychological torture on Perez. Perez, who is now doing fine, has since been reunited with his dog. Fontana police did not provide comment on the situation. Perez settled the case due to the looming possibility that the Fontana officers might have prevailed on an appeal, as the 9th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals has been dismissing police misconduct lawsuits based on the qualified immunity doctrine, which protects government officials, including police officers, from legal repercussions.
Following this traumatic ordeal, Perez’s lawyer announced the settlement with Fontana and highlighted the deliberate cruelty of the authorities involved in the case. To seek mental health support or crisis resources, individuals can call or text 988 or visit dontcallthepolice.com for local resources. International support can be found through the International Association for Suicide Prevention. The case of Thomas Perez Jr. sheds light on the issue of police misconduct and the psychological impact it can have on individuals who are wrongly accused and subjected to intense interrogation tactics.
