LAFAYETTE – Three Evangeline Parish residents claim they were involuntarily taken to a police department and were not told why they were being held.
Shawanna Deville, Shaquille Freeman and Liljohn O'Neal filed a complaint on Feb. 6 in the U.S. District Court for the Western District of Louisiana, Lafayette Division against the city of Ville Platte Police Department, Neal Lartigue and unnamed police officers alleging that defendants' police officers negligently disregarded their constitutional rights and safety.
According to the complaint, the plaintiffs allege that in July 2014, they were detained without cause by the defendants. The suit states that the plaintiffs were never suspects nor were there any warrants issued. As a result, the plaintiffs allege they suffered physical pain, emotional distress and mental anguish. The plaintiffs holds The city of Ville Platte Police Department, Lartigue and unnamed police officers responsible because defendant Ville Platte Police Department allegedly failed to use proper police/prisoner techniques.
The plaintiffs request a trial by jury and seek judgment against defendants, jointly and severally for such amounts reasonable under the premises, plus penalties and interest, attorney's fees and costs and all other general and equitable relief. They are represented by Jacob B. Fusilier of Fusilier & Associates LLC in Ville Platte.
U.S. District Court for the Western District of Louisiana, Lafayette Division Case number 6:17-cv-00234