Incumbent Richmond School board member, Shonda Harris-Muhammed, 6th District, and her husband, Demetrius Muhammed, along with current and former members of the Richmond Police Department, are being sued for $1.35 million in punitive and compensatory damages due to a wrongful arrest claim that occurred four years ago.

The case was filed with the Circuit Court of Richmond on Oct. 9, with a request for a trial by jury. The lawsuit states on Aug. 26, 2020, Miles Jones Jr., then-environmental compliance officer for the City, removed campaign signs belonging to Harris — who was running for the 6th District School Board seat at the time – from a public right-of-way near the intersection of North Avenue and Roberts Street as a part of his job responsibilities during that time.

The claim states Harris-Muhammed and her husband “repeatedly pressured” RPD former acting Detective Michael Nyantakyi to arrest Jones.

Jones was arrested on charges of grand larceny. The charges were dismissed July 9, 2021, at the request of the Commonwealth in General District Court. Jones also is suing Nyantakyi, then-Officer Rick Edwards and former Chief of Police Gerald Smith — who resigned in Oct. 2022 — for the same compensation as Mr. and Mrs. Harris-Muhammad and her husband. The lawsuit alleges Edwards and Nyantakyi “wrongfully imprisoned” Jones and failed to conduct a “meaningful investigation” into the allegations against him. The lawsuit also claims that Smith — who was the police chief at the time — is “vicariously liable” for Nyantakyi’s conduct of the investigation.

The lawsuit further explains that be- cause of the allegations, Jones has been suffering from emotional distress and public humiliation.

Harris-Muhammed is currently running for School Board unopposed. She regained her seat in 2020, after losing in 2016. She also served as RPS School Board chair two years ago.

Jones’ attorney, Robert Dawson, Harris-Muhammad and the Richmond Police Department declined to comment on the lawsuit.

Nyantakyi separated from the Richmond Police Department in September 2023. Edwards was promoted to police chief in July 2023.