LAFAYETTE – A St. Landry Parish man alleges he was wrongfully arrested.
Karnell Lazard filed a complaint on March 1 in the U.S. District Court for the Western District of Louisiana, Lafayette Division against town of Leonville, Chief Joseph Noel and Officer Kevin Pugh alleging wrongful arrest, wrongful detention and malicious prosecution.
According to the complaint, the plaintiff alleges that on May 8, 2015, he was wrongfully arrested and/or detained without probable cause for simple battery. The suit states the charges were later dismissed. He alleges he sustained substantial damages, including, but not limited to, mental and psychological anguish, and lost wages.
The plaintiff holds town of Leonville, Noel and Pugh responsible because defendant officers allegedly conspired and wrongfully abused the judicial process to have him arrested and subsequently jailed for a crime that he did not commit and defendant, the town of Leonville allegedly inadequately supervised and trained its employees.
The plaintiff requests a trial by jury and seeks award for compensatory damages in an amount of $1 million, plus punitive damages, attorney’s fees, court costs, as well as any other relief the court deems just and appropriate. He is represented by Pride J. Doran, Quincy L. Cawthorne and Dwazendra J. Smith of Doran & Cawthorne PLLC in Opelousas.
U.S. District Court for the Western District of Louisiana, Lafayette Division Case number 6:17-cv-00338