Livonia police declined to comment. But according to a letter they sent the Kozmas, they deny any wrongdoing.
“In order to make the situation safe for all parties involved, the decision was made to handcuff your daughter, who was initially compliant, but then began to struggle. Officers used the minimal amount of force necessary to gain control and handcuff her. There was no indication that your daughter was injured when she was detained,” Livonia Police Lt. Francis Donnelly wrote in the Sept. 18, 2012, letter. “I have reviewed both video and audio recordings of the incident and find no evidence of unprofessional behavior or excessive force on the part of our officers. Based on my investigation, I have determined that your complaint against our officers is unfounded.”
Wal-Mart, which declined to comment on specifics of the lawsuit, issued this statement: “First and foremost, a cornerstone at Wal-Mart is respect for an individual. We expect all of our customers to be treated with dignity and respect, regardless of the situation. Based on the information that we have (about the Kozma case), we believe our associates acted appropriately and followed protocol.”