Black man uses home camera to prove he didn’t rape white neighbor in pool threesome
A black Texas man accused of raping his white neighbor has filed a lawsuit, saying his home’s security cameras prove his innocence, but police refuse to review the footage.
John Marks, 40, was arrested on December 7, 2023, after his neighbor, Amanda Zawieruszynski, claimed she was held hostage and raped in his home.
Marks and his close friend Freddie Douglas were accused of attacking Zawieruszynski in the pool during a housewarming party at his home near Houston on Nov. 9, 2023.
Marks has filed a new lawsuit claiming their civil rights were violated and that the Manvel police intentionally suppressed evidence showing the interaction was consensual.
“This case is not an isolated incident, but reflects a centuries-old pattern reminiscent of the injustices described in To Kill a Mockingbird, in which black men are wrongly accused of sexual crimes by white women, and law enforcement is happy to proceed without question,” the lawsuit says.
John Marks (pictured), 40, was accused of raping his white neighbor and filed a lawsuit claiming his home security cameras proved his innocence
Amanda Zawieruszynski (pictured) claimed she was held hostage and raped in his home
Marks moved to the small Texas town in April 2023 and said he quickly developed an intimate bond with his new neighbor Zawieruszynski.
On November 9, 2023, he hosted a gathering at his home and claimed that Zawieruszynski was captured on surveillance footage enthusiastically arriving at the party with cupcakes.
The surveillance footage of [Marks] home recordings [Zawieruszynski] “They arrived voluntarily and entered the home without any signs of stress or hesitation,” the complaint said.
Marks said video footage shows the woman entering the pool with mutual consent and performing sexual acts later that evening.
The CCTV footage shows [Zawieruszynski] voluntarily joined the group in the pool, undressed and entered the water of his own accord. At no point does the footage suggest that AZ was coerced or pressured into participating in these activities,” the lawsuit states.
Marks said police refused to review security footage from his home, which showed the woman freely entering his home and engaging in voluntary activities.
A grand jury found there was no basis for the charges against Marks and his longtime friend Freddie Douglas (pictured)
The complaint also states that there is footage of her walking freely around the house and calmly leaving at the end of the evening.
A month later, Zawieruszynski filed a police report, alleging that the two men had sexually assaulted and kidnapped her on the night of the party.
According to Marks’ lawsuit, officers omitted the surveillance footage from their arrest warrant application and never even viewed the footage.
In March, a Brazoria County grand jury found there was no basis for the charges and the court ruled “no.”
Now Marks is suing the city of Manvel, three Manvel police officers, and Zawieruszynski for civil rights violations, defamation, and malicious prosecution.
He seeks all possible damages, including compensatory, punitive and exemplary damages, as well as attorneys’ fees and any other relief the court deems fair and appropriate.
Manvel police declined DailyMail.com’s request for comment.