Mothers claim teen sons tased, wrongfully detained by Memphis Police

MEMPHIS, Tenn. — Four Memphis mothers said police officers mistakenly roughed up their sons.  It happened as police were looking for a car stolen from a Dollar Tree on East Shelby Drive.

The vehicle would be spotted five days later at Esporta Fitness on Ridgeway Road. Police said they followed the vehicle onto Highway 385 but then lost it.

Another police officer would later spot the vehicle on Cochese Cove in Parkway Village.

The mothers said the suspects parked the vehicle, jumped a fence and ran into one of the mother’s homes.

The mother said police stormed her home, snatching her children up.  They said the fight with police then occurred outside.

“It’s sad and it hurts when you can’t protect your children. It hurts. You feel helpless. You can’t do anything but sit there and watch these folks beat on your child,” said one of the mothers.

Officers said they arrested Pacarie Roberts and a 17-year-old.  The mother said neither of whom are seen in the video.

One mother said she was placed in the back of a police car for two hours with no running air-conditioning.

“I don’t care if your uniform is pink, yellow or blue that doesn’t give you the right to abuse a minor,” said one of the mothers.

FOX13 sent detailed questions to the Memphis Police Department, asking whether they feel excessive force was used.

MPD did not answer any of the questions but only said the taser which was used by an officer was pointed toward the ground.