Washington, D.C., June 10, 2025 – Last month, Robert F. Kennedy Human Rights, the American Civil Liberties Union (ACLU), the ACLU of Louisiana, and the Juror Project filed a petition before the Inter-American Commission on Human Rights (IACHR) on behalf of Anthony Monroe, a 61-year-old Louisiana resident and victim of police violence, and his late mother. The petition requests civil remedies for Mr. Monroe and changes to U.S. law following a 2019 traffic stop wherein Mr. Monroe was brutalized and permanently disabled by Louisiana State Police (LSP) officers. He was ultimately hospitalized for his injuries, criminalized for the incident, and subsequently barred from pursuing civil litigation in federal court. 

On November 29, 2019, Mr. Monroe was returning home from his job as a card dealer at a casino when he was detained, beaten, and unlawfully arrested by Louisiana State Police. Mr. Monroe was hospitalized for his life-threatening injuries, including a heart attack he endured in a police vehicle during his transport to jail. While the alleged reason for the traffic stop – speeding – was never pursued, Mr. Monroe was charged and convicted of two misdemeanor crimes stemming from the encounter, despite notable evidence to the contrary. His later attempts to bring a civil suit against the police officers who assaulted him were hindered by Louisiana’s short statute of limitations and an obscure legal doctrine.

After repeated attempts to hold LSP accountable through the U.S. legal system, including before the U.S. Supreme Court, this petition represents one of Mr. Monroe’s last opportunities for justice. Earlier this month, he also met with United Nations racial justice experts to discuss his case.

“Mr. Monroe has been fighting for justice for years, and has been denied at every turn,” said Delia Addo-Yobo, attorney at Robert F. Kennedy Human Rights. “After exhausting every domestic avenue for accountability, we are looking internationally. We ask the Commission to review Mr. Monroe’s case, uphold his rights, and help end the cycle of police violence and impunity in the United States.”

Mr. Monroe’s case is emblematic of a broader pattern in the United States of unchecked police violence carried out against civilians, especially Black people. The petition cites a recent 2025 report by the U.S. Department of Justice that found Louisiana State Police engaged in a statewide pattern of excessive use of force in violation of the U.S. Constitution. In states such as Louisiana, almost 80% of recorded misconduct allegations result in no recorded discipline against an officer.

“We must put an end to the systemic and discriminatory nature of police brutality once and for all,” said Nora Ahmed, legal director at ACLU of Louisiana. “By filing this petition with the Inter-American Commission on Human Rights on behalf of Mr. Monroe – just as we have done for more than 50 other individuals in Louisiana in federal and state courts in the United States – we are fighting back, demanding justice, and continuing to hold those sworn to ‘protect and serve’ us accountable. With this petition, Justice Lab extends itself beyond courtrooms in the United States to adjudicatory bodies that operate internationally — because human rights cannot and should not have borders.”

The petition also outlines multiple ways in which the United States’ legal system prevents justice for police brutality victims, including short statute of limitation periods; inequitable trials and lack of jury diversity; and a little-known doctrine called Heck that prevents people with criminal convictions from filing civil suits for abuses committed by police.

The petition suggests specific IACHR recommendations for the United States government, including reparations to Mr. Monroe; overruling or amending the Heck doctrine; reducing barriers to private counsel; and requiring state and federal databases that track police killings and use of force. 

About Robert F. Kennedy Human Rights
We are a nonpartisan, not-for-profit organization that has worked to realize Robert F. Kennedy’s dream of a more just and peaceful world since 1968. In partnership with local activists, we advocate for key human rights issues—championing change makers and pursuing strategic litigation at home and around the world. And to ensure change that lasts, we foster a social-good approach to business and investment and educate millions of students about human rights and social justice.

About the ACLU of Louisiana
Since 1956, the ACLU of Louisiana has worked to advance and preserve the civil rights and civil liberties of the most marginalized and vulnerable communities in Louisiana. We are part of a nationwide network of affiliates that fights tirelessly in all 50 states, Puerto Rico, and Washington, D.C.

About the Juror Project
We aim to change the makeup of juries to better represent the American population and the communities most commonly accused. We pursue this through community and public education about jury eligibility and the jury selection process and the power jurors hold in America’s high stakes criminal legal system.

About the American Civil Liberties Union (ACLU)
The ACLU is a nationwide, nonprofit, nonpartisan organization with more than 4 million members, activists, and supporters, dedicated to defending the principles of liberty and equality embodied in the U.S. Constitution and our nation’s civil rights laws, and ensuring the United States upholds its international human rights commitments. The ACLU has offices in all 50 states, Puerto Rico, and Washington, D.C.