NEW ORLEANS - Numerous law enforcement officers face civil charges in New Orleans federal court following allegations of excessive force and other constitutional rights violations.
According to documents filed on March 19, the charges come from plaintiffs Tiffany McGee, Nathan O'Quinn and Inez Simmons on behalf of their teenage sons.
The teens were hanging out together on March 20, 2020, in a vehicle driven by another friend. The sons of the plaintiffs did not have knowledge that the vehicle was stolen, and the plaintiffs' sons were never in control of the vehicle, according to the suit.
The Westwego Police Department attempted to pull the vehicle over, but the friend operating the car did not stop. After a brief pursuit, he pulled the vehicle over and all passengers including the plaintiffs' sons ran.
The suit says that the teens were confused and scared about what was happening, due to them not having knowledge that the vehicle was stolen, so they followed suit of the friend driving the vehicle who ran. On police body camera footage, one of the defendant officers can be heard yelling "stop or we will shoot your f***ing ass."
One of the teens was shot in the back while laying face-down on the ground in surrender, while the other was dragged and beaten despite coming out from hiding with his hands up in surrender, the suit claims.
The officers are charged with use of excessive force, failure to train, supervise and discipline, assault, battery, negligent and intentional infliction of emotional distress and malfeasance.
The entire list of defendants includes: Jefferson Parish Sheriff Joseph P. Lopinto III, Deputy Sean Parker, Deputy Michael LeBlanc, Deputy Matthew Smithey, Westwego Police Chief Dwayne J. Munch, Officer Samuel Norton, Officer Blake Nuzzo, Officer Andrew Chauvet and Officer Ronell LaPorte.
The plaintiffs are represented by the Unglesby Law Firm of Baton Rouge.