In a heart-wrenching case that has captured national attention, Mallory Woodfork has filed a federal lawsuit against the Jefferson Parish Sheriff's Office and several deputies, alleging excessive force resulting in the death of her son, Calvin Cains III. The complaint was filed on June 3, 2024, in the United States District Court for the Eastern District of Louisiana.
The lawsuit details the tragic events of June 6, 2023, when deputies from the Jefferson Parish Sheriff's Office (JPSO) and unknown officers from the New Orleans Police Department allegedly shot and killed Calvin Cains III. According to the complaint, Cains was an unarmed Black male who was fatally shot moments after entering his car in Metairie, Louisiana. The plaintiff claims that at no point did Cains pose any threat to the deputies or others around him. The lawsuit accuses Sheriff Joseph P. Lopinto III and several deputies—Clinston Gadea, Ricky Fuentes, Ryan Rivette, Donald Clogher—and unidentified John Doe officers of violating Cains' Fourth Amendment rights through excessive use of force.
The plaintiff asserts that Sheriff Lopinto's policies and practices contributed significantly to her son's death. She alleges that Lopinto sanctioned a culture within JPSO that disproportionately targeted African Americans with violent arrests and shootings. The complaint cites data indicating that Black individuals in Jefferson Parish are over eleven times more likely to be killed by police than their white counterparts. Furthermore, it is alleged that Lopinto ratified these unconstitutional practices by failing to implement necessary training or disciplinary measures against officers who used excessive force.
Woodfork's lawsuit seeks both compensatory and punitive damages amounting to no less than $5 million. She also demands equitable relief requiring JPSO to adopt policies aimed at preventing future misconduct similar to what led to her son's death. Additionally, she requests attorney fees and other associated legal costs.
Representing Woodfork are attorneys William Most and Dave Lanser from Most & Associates in New Orleans as well as Robert F. DiCello, Kenneth P. Abbarno, Jordyn A. Parks, and Joe F. Fouche III from DiCello Levitt LLP based in Ohio. The case is presided over by Judge Carl J. Barbier under Case ID: 2:24-cv-01422-CJB-EJD.