Anasia Smith, a 22-year-old who moved from New York to Houston, is taking Harris County Jail to court after an alleged physical incident in July 2023. A federal lawsuit claims nine officers brutally attacked her after she asked to stop her voluntary cleaning duties. Video footage has since been released of the attack, showing the shocking assault, and now Smith is fighting for justice. Here’s what happened…
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Inside Texas Inmate’s Lawsuit Against Officers After Brutal Altercation
At around 1 a.m. on July 15, 2023, the lawsuit claims Anasia Smith was exhausted from performing voluntary cleaning at the Harris County Jail in Texas. She politely asked to be relieved, but things took a wild turn. Officer Paulita Franco allegedly wasn’t having it and started a verbal altercation that escalated quickly. Franco reportedly began punching Smith in the head shortly after making her request to stop cleaning. To make the situation that much worse, eight other officers were said to have joined in, turning the situation into a full-on attack.
Security footage provided by the Texas Civil Rights Project to FOX 26 shows Smith, who weighed 107 pounds at the time, trying to defend herself as the officers surrounded her. They didn’t stop there, though. Smith was forced to the floor, reportedly hit over 45 times, dragged across the ground, and had her hair and clothes pulled while she curled into a fetal position. Her attorney, Molly Petchenik, didn’t hold back, saying:
“It’s hard to imagine what the goal was… There’s just no legitimate explanation for that kind of behavior.”
Ben Crumbs Gives Statement Following Smith’s Lawsuit Filing
In a tweet shared on Friday, July 4, attorney Ben Crump took to X (formerly known as Twitter), writing:
“Anasia Smith asked to stop cleaning while in jail. Instead, 9 Harris County officers allegedly beat her over 45 times. This isn’t just excessive force — it’s part of a violent culture that demands justice and reform at Harris County Jail.”
Anasia Smith asked to stop cleaning while in jail. Instead, 9 Harris County officers allegedly beat her over 45 times. This isn’t just excessive force — it’s part of a violent culture that demands justice and reform at Harris County Jail. pic.twitter.com/pUwFUp17ec
— Ben Crump (@AttorneyCrump) July 4, 2025
Anasia Smith Details Her Suffering After The Prison Attack
It’s been almost two years, and Smith is still picking up the pieces after the attack. According to her lawsuit, she is battling chronic back pain, headaches, dizziness, and depression. Her whole life has been turned upside down, and time has not made the pain or the suffering go away.
Smith was initially arrested on June 27, 2023, for using a debit card without permission (charges that were later dropped). She’s adamant the attack came out of nowhere. Petchenik is not playing, calling out the jail’s “long-standing culture of violence” and shedding light on hundreds of officer-on-inmate incidents between 2020 and 2023.
The lawsuit is coming for the officers, Harris County, and even Sheriff Ed Gonzalez, who’s been called out for letting this alleged culture of violence persist despite promises of better training. Smith is seeking compensatory and punitive damages for violations of her First and Fourteenth Amendment rights, claiming excessive force and retaliation.
Anasia’s Lawsuit Is One Of Several Recently Filed Cases
The Texas Civil Rights Project is backing Smith’s lawsuit. They demand accountability for what they call a “horrific and life-altering” assault that’s said to be just one of many. Molly told Houston Public Media that Smith’s case is screaming for major changes at the jail.
Meanwhile, Sheriff Gonzalez has admitted they need better de-escalation training. But the lawsuit says the violence is still popping off. In February 2024, another lawsuit claimed a woman miscarried after an attack from officers in the same jail. Then, three officers were charged in May that same year for allegedly beating an inmate into a coma.
