A black Texas man accused of raping his white neighbor filed a lawsuit claiming security cameras at his home prove his innocence, but police refused to look at the footage.
John Marks, 40, was arrested on December 7, 2023 after his neighbor, Amanda Zawieruszynski, reported that she was taken hostage and raped in her home.
Marks and his longtime friend Freddie Douglas were accused of assaulting Zawieruszynski in the pool during a housewarming party near Houston on November 9, 2023.
A new lawsuit filed by Marks said both suffered civil rights violations and that the Manvel Police Department deliberately withheld evidence showing the interaction was consensual.
“This case is not an isolated incident, but rather reflects a recurring pattern, reminiscent of the injustices depicted in To Kill a Mockingbird, where black men are falsely accused of sexual crimes by white women, and the law enforcement machinery is more than willing to proceed without question,” the lawsuit states.
John Marks (pictured), 40, was accused of raping his white neighbor and filed a lawsuit claiming security cameras at his home prove his innocence.
Amanda Zawieruszynski (pictured) said she was taken hostage and raped in her home.
Marks moved to the small Texas town in April 2023 and said she quickly developed an intimate relationship with her new neighbor Zawieruszynski.
On November 9, 2023, she hosted a gathering at her home and claimed Zawieruszynski was caught on surveillance footage anxiously arriving at the party with cupcakes.
“Surveillance footage from (Mark’s) home captures (Zawieruszynski) voluntarily arriving, entering the home with no signs of distress or hesitation,” the lawsuit says.
As the night progressed, Marks said the video shows the woman consensually getting into the pool and engaging in sexual activity.
“The surveillance footage shows that (Zawieruszynski) voluntarily joined the group in the pool, stripped naked, and entered the water of her own volition. At no time does the footage suggest that AZ was coerced or pressured to participate in these activities,” the lawsuit states.
Marks said police refused to look at home security footage showing the woman freely entered his home and engaged in consensual activity.
A grand jury determined there was no basis for the charges against Marks and his longtime friend Freddie Douglas (pictured)
The lawsuit also said the footage captured her freely roaming around the house and calmly leaving at the end of the night.
A month later, Zawieruszynski filed a police complaint alleging that the two men had sexually assaulted and kidnapped her on the night of the party.
Marks’ lawsuit claims officers omitted surveillance footage evidence from their warrant application and failed to even review the footage.
In March, a Brazoria County Grand Jury determined there was no basis for the charges and issued no indictment.
Marks is now suing the city of Manvel, three Manvel police officers and Zawieruszynski for civil rights violations, defamation and malicious prosecution.
Seeks all available damages, including compensatory, punitive, and exemplary damages, as well as attorneys’ fees and any other relief the court deems just and appropriate.
The Manvel Police Department declined DailyMail.com’s request for comment.
