According to a federal lawsuit filed in March, a total of 15 Louisville police officers forced their way into Givens’ home without a warrant, slammed him to the ground in front of his wife and disabled son, and arrested him on a domestic violence charge—based solely on an accusation made by his daughter an hour after she had already left the house.
The incident, which took place on January 31, 2024, has sparked outrage and renewed concerns over police misconduct in Louisville, a city still under national scrutiny following the 2020 police killing of Breonna Taylor.
Givens had called 911 to report that his daughter’s boyfriend had just threatened him with a firearm before fleeing the scene. When officers eventually arrived, Givens complied fully, voluntarily disarming himself. But soon after, things took a turn. The officers claimed they had also received a separate call—from Givens’ daughter—accusing him of domestic abuse, and decided to act on her word alone.
Despite Givens’ attempts to explain the situation and the fact that his daughter was no longer at the residence, officers allegedly cited unspecified “Kentucky law” to justify their entry. Ignoring his objections, they kicked the door open and entered the home.
His son, Micah Davis—who lives with a seizure disorder caused by a traumatic brain injury—reportedly suffered a seizure during the incident, triggered by the chaos and flashing police lights. The lawsuit accuses officers of excessive force, false imprisonment, assault and battery, and violating Givens’ constitutional rights under the Fourth Amendment.
Givens spent two hours in solitary confinement following his arrest, where he says he struggled to breathe and was denied his prescribed medications. The charge against him was dropped in December 2024.
The legal complaint, filed by attorneys Zac Meihausn and Aaron Kemper, names 15 individual officers, including current and former leadership at the Louisville Metro Police Department, as well as the city’s mayor. It describes a broader pattern of misconduct and a failure to train or discipline officers appropriately—a claim that echoes long-standing allegations of systemic issues within the department.
Surveillance footage from Givens’ home, which has since been shared by local media outlet WDRB, appears to support his account. It shows him cooperating with police and placing his weapon down, only for the officers to escalate the situation moments later.
“I felt like having a conversation would be enough,” Givens told WDRB. “But apparently, it was not.”
The lawsuit seeks punitive damages for what it describes as a reckless abuse of power—one that left a family shaken and a community demanding answers.
