HOUSTON — Houston police said they've launched an internal investigation into an alleged wrongful arrest at a River Oaks shopping center.
Chief Troy Finner called the situation, which happened in 2022, "deeply concerning."
Earlier this month, Harvey Murphy Jr., 61, sued the Sunglass Hut and Macy's for identifying him as a robbery suspect, even though he said he was in California at the time.
Murphy said he was later arrested in Texas, and while in jail, he was sexually assaulted.
The Harris County District Attorney's Office ultimately dropped the case.
Murphy's lawyers said they believed he was identified through the faulty use of facial recognition tools.
The lawyers don't believe Houston police did anything wrong. They lay the blame squarely on the businesses involved.
"Mr. Murphy’s lawsuit does not allege, nor do we believe, that the Houston Police Department did anything wrong. We believe the true bad actors are Sunglass Hut and Macy’s and it was their action in misleading the police that led to Mr. Murphy’s arrest and incarceration.
Macy's declined to comment.