BATON ROUGE — An East Baton Rouge Parish woman is suing an officer of the West Baton Rouge sheriff's department, alleging abuse, assault and negligence.
Summer Hunter filed a lawsuit July 29 in U.S. District Court for the Middle District of Louisiana against John Barker, alleging the police officer violated the plaintiff's Fourth, Fifth and 14th Amendment rights.
According to the complaint, on July 29, 2015, Hunter visited the father of her children Lawrence Blackburn, who was a fugitive, at 4271 Brookstown Drive, Apartment 6, Baton Rouge. That same day, the suit says, a U.S. Marshal's fugitive force and local law enforcement planned to arrest Blackburn.
The lawsuit states the task force closed the apartment and ordered everyone to exit with their hands up. There was an exchange of shots between Blackburn and the Barker, and a shot hit Hunter in the leg. The suit says this caused the plaintiff fear, anxiety, mental anguish, loss wages and medical expenses.
The plaintiff alleges Barker engaged in reckless disregard of Hunter's federally protected rights.
Hunter seeks trial by jury, all damages, attorney fees, costs of court, interest and any relief the court deems just. She is represented by attorney Joseph J. Long of Baton Rouge.
U.S. District Court for the Middle District of Louisiana Case number 3:16-cv-00502