Shreveport Mom Files Suit Against Police and Apartment Complex

Shreveport resident Calii Stevenson told KEEL News on Friday that her recent legal fight is about more than her own hardship. “When it comes to tenant rights, we have to fight for that. When it comes to maternal injustice for mothers incarcerated, we have to fight for that as well,” she explained. “This was an opportunity to speak through me for others who have been silent.”

Stevenson filed suit against the Shreveport Police Department and Villa Square Apartments after her arrest this summer. She spent seven days in jail on a neglect of family charge, which the district attorney later dropped.

What Started the Dispute

The dispute began in June when a domestic dispute over a PlayStation, the only device connected to their older-model TV, became heated. The disagreement escalated, drawing in relatives and eventually police.

“I was telling the officer I was in the process of getting my mortgage loan officer license. I had a lot going on that I was working toward completing,” she said. Instead, she was taken into custody.

Fallout From the Arrest

The time in jail, she says, damaged her reputation and left her struggling financially. She had been paying $3,000 a month for housing, and after Eviction Court recently ruled in favor of the apartment complex, she now owes more than $1,700.

“Everyone publicly knows me, and now my credit that I worked hard to build is going to be ruined,” she said. “My life just isn’t the same.”

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Stevenson says she has been unable to return to work, in part because of the emotional weight of the experience. “With the type of work I do, it’s mental. I need to be on game 24-7. Right now I can’t regulate my emotions.”

Seeking Resolution

Her attorney has begun the litigation process but is also exploring whether the city or the apartment complex might settle out of court. Stevenson says her requests are straightforward: “I just want something that’s reasonable. I’m not trying to be crazy. I just want it to be fair, something I can use to build a better future for me and my kids.”

When asked if an apology would be important, Stevenson was clear: “That’s only fair because I didn’t do anything. I’m really a victim of everything that didn’t work in my favor.”

For now, Stevenson is in a new home, still piecing her life back together. She says the fight is not just for herself but for others who might find themselves in similar situations.