BATON ROUGE - Leonard Hollins Jr. filed a federal complaint on October 4 in the Middle District of Louisiana against Zachary Police Department through the City of Zachary, Officer Anthony D'Esposito and Chief of Police David McDavid for violation of the Fourteenth Amendment.
According to the complaint, on Oct. 4, 2020, Officer Anthony D'Esposito was allegedly dispatched to Newell Street for a suspicious incident, and upon arrival, he met with complainant Jeana Ivy.
Ivy said that earlier she observed a white Honda with dark tinted glass stop in front of her residence, lower the window approximately two inches, and appear to be scouting her property. Ivy observed the driver of the vehicle repeat this process at a couple of properties on her street.
Ivy found this suspicious and got into her vehicle and followed the Honda to observe the license plate number. She got behind the vehicle on Newell Street, recorded the plate number, and called 911, the suit says.
While on the phone with dispatch, Ivy stated the Honda began following her. Officer D'Esposito stopped a vehicle matching the description Ivy gave that was being driven by Hollins Jr.
Hollins Jr. explained that he was self-employed as a contractor who matches distressed properties with potential investors and scouts neighborhoods for properties and takes photos, the suit says. Officer D'Esposito allegedly handcuffed Hollins Jr. for hours, violating his Fourteenth Amendment rights of false imprisonment, assault and battery, intentional infliction of emotional distress and invasion of privacy. Hollins Jr. later had to seek treatment for his injuries.
Hollins Jr. seeks damages for past and future medical expenses, lost wages, mental and emotional pain and suffering, punitive damages and attorney's fees. Hollins Jr. is represented by Gregory J. Miller of Miller, Hampton & Hilgendorf.
U.S. District Court Middle District of Louisiana case number 3:21-cv-00565-JWD-RLB