A lawsuit alleges a former DeKalb County police officer and purported Gangster Disciples assassin attacked a man he mistakenly thought was a fellow gang member.
James Leon Woods, 28, claims Vancito Gumbs brutalized him on July 5, 2015, at Robins Landing apartments outside Decatur. Gumbs also faces federal charges after allegedly claiming to be a hitman for the Gangster Disciples, though his attorney says he was just trying to impress a woman.
Woods’ suit, filed in U.S. District Court on July 7, says Gumbs and other officers arrested him on a trespassing-related probation violation.
“Plaintiff was placed in handcuffs then slammed to the ground, punched in the face and kneed in the back,” the complaint says, adding that Woods submitted to commands and didn’t resist.
The suit identifies the involved officers as Gumbs, Benjamin Penrose, Donfrea Woolfork and Marcell Nalls. The officers tried to trip the victim while walking him down stairs, and Gumbs broke his jaw, leading to surgery and $77,000 in medical bills, the plaintiff alleges.
The suit claims Gumbs assaulted Woods because he mistakenly thought he was a rival gang member, or a Gangster Disciple in need of discipline. Woods’ attorney, Wayne Kendall, told The Atlanta Journal-Constitution that Gumbs communicated as much to Woods. But Kendall wouldn’t elaborate.
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According to police, Gumbs resigned rather than be fired. Woolfork was fired, and Penrose and Nalls were suspended because investigators found they didn’t report Gumbs’ assault on Woods.
Woolfork could not be reached for comment Friday.
After Woods’s arrest, Gumbs wrote a warrant accusing Woods of obstruction for striking Gumbs and spitting blood in his face. The officer lied about how the incident played out, according to an internal police investigation file obtained by The Atlanta Journal-Constitution on Friday.
The warrant was thrown out.
Roger C. Wilson, who is representing Gumbs in the criminal case, declined to comment Friday because he isn’t on the civil case. It isn’t clear whether Gumbs has a civil attorney.
The police department and county commissioners are also defendants in the suit but had no immediate comment Friday.
The suit seeks damages to be determined in court.
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