An Orleans Parish woman, on behalf of her minor child, is suing the city of New Orleans, city police and city officials, alleging police brutality.
Katrina Bridges filed a lawsuit Sept. 22 in U.S. District Court Eastern District of Louisiana against the city of New Orleans, Mayor Mitchell Landrieu, the New Orleans Police Department, New Orleans Police Supt. Michael S. Harrison and police officer Terrance Saulny.
According to the complaint, on Sept. 23, 2014, the minor child was arrested and taken into custody at the Youth Study Center by New Orleans police officers. The suit says while the child was in a holding cell, Saulny used unnecessary and excessive force, including shoving her, slamming her onto the ground, pushing her into the cinder block wall and striking her multiple times.
Despite calls to emergency medical services, the suit alleges the minor was not provided required care nor was she transported to the hospital. Some of the minor's injuries required surgery, the suit says.
Saulny subsequently was terminated in September 2014. The other defendants are included in the suit because they are vicariously liable for the injuries to the child, the suit says.
Bridges seeks, on behalf of her minor child, compensatory damages, attorney fees, special and punitive damages, plus any further relief the court deems just. She is represented by attorneys Michael J. Hall and Jonique Martin Hall of the Law Office of Michael J. Hall in New Orleans.
U.S. District Court of the Eastern District of Louisiana case number 2:15-cv-04640-LMA-SS.