A Texas police officer is suing investigators for allegedly ignoring evidence that could have exonerated him from a rape charge. He says the rape ruined his life and took months to repair.
Police officer Freddie Douglas was arrested in December after the girlfriend of one of his longtime friends accused him and her friend of rape. The charges were eventually dropped, but Douglas argues in his lawsuit that although police had evidence that could have exonerated the two men, they failed to investigate it and made the arrests anyway.
The friend, identified in the complaint as Amanda Zawieruszynski, alleged that both Douglas and her boyfriend John Marks raped her in Marks’ home on November 8, 2023. The complaint details that she “claimed she was trying to fight Marks off” and that Marks then “pushed her toward Douglas, who had sex with her while she tried to fight him off.” Marks and Douglas were arrested in December, and Marks immediately protested that surveillance footage from his home disproved the allegation.
The lawsuit, filed by attorney Mike Kerensky, states that although both men had sex with Zawieruszynski, it was entirely consensual.
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Freddie Douglas, left, stands with attorney Mike Kerensky in front of Manvel City Hall on August 22. (Fox News)
“Douglas first met AZ (Zawieruszynski) at John Marks’ house. … It was the day before Freddie Douglas’ birthday. He and John Marks had planned to go to a Rockets game that evening,” the lawsuit states. Zawieruszynski also sent Marks several text messages to arrange a meeting with her at his home after the game.
The lawsuit goes on to say that Zawieruszynski came into the house and the three had a few drinks, but “no one got drunk.”
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“At some point, John Marks and AZ began having consensual sex in the pool. Thereafter, AZ wanted to have sex with Freddie Douglas and did so. This sexual activity was completely consensual on the part of all parties involved,” the lawsuit states.
About a month later, the complaint states, Zawieruszynski went to the Manvel Police Department and claimed the two men had raped her.
Fox News Digital’s efforts to reach Zawieruszynski, who is also named as a defendant in the lawsuit, were unsuccessful.
Douglas was cooperating with El Campo police and his boss informed him on Dec. 7 that police were going to arrest him. According to the complaint, Douglas immediately told arresting officers that footage from Marks’ home would exonerate him, but they made the arrest anyway.
Other MPD officers were subsequently recorded entering Marks’ home and discussing the footage, but they apparently made no effort to investigate, the lawsuit says.
Freddie Douglas and his attorney submitted the lawsuit to Manvel City Hall. (Fox News)
Footage from Marks’ front door camera obtained by Fox News Digital shows officers discussing the footage. One said Douglas and Marks mentioned it during their arrests. Another officer wondered if Zawieruszynski might have “consented.”
The footage shows that an officer noticed the door camera a few minutes later and left, saying that the camera was recording him.
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“Within minutes of Freddie Douglas’ arrest, the Manvel Police Department knew there was objective evidence that would determine who was telling the truth, AZ or Douglas and Marks,” Douglas’ lawsuit states.
The MPD disputed the lawsuit’s portrayal of events in a statement to Fox News Digital. MPD Chief Keith Taylor argued that “these individuals and their attorneys provided false information to news outlets.”
However, he said he could not discuss the specifics of the case due to the ongoing legal proceedings. However, he said it was “wrong” that MPD investigators knowingly ignored evidence that would have exonerated Marks and Douglas.
Manvel Police Department officers discuss the Freddie Douglas case in front of John Marks’ house. (Fox News)
“This is a false claim because this evidence was presented to the prosecution and the grand jury. This is required by law; all evidence, including exculpatory evidence, must be presented. As the trial progresses, it will become apparent that these claims and allegations are false,” Taylor said.
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Charges against Douglas and Marks were dropped after Douglas contacted the Brazoria County District Attorney. Prosecutors say Manvel police never contacted them about the case and if they did, prosecutors never recommended charges.
When the MPD continued to pursue the case, the district attorney’s office convened a grand jury, which ultimately dismissed the charges.
