Jarren Kieffer has filed a civil rights lawsuit against law enforcement officers in Louisiana, alleging brutal treatment and constitutional violations. The complaint was lodged by Kieffer on January 10, 2025, in the United States District Court for the Eastern District of Louisiana against Jefferson Parish Sheriff Joseph P. Lopinto III, Detective Benjamin Blevins, and several unidentified officers.
The case stems from an incident on January 17, 2024, at Louis Armstrong New Orleans International Airport. Kieffer claims he was unlawfully detained and subjected to excessive force by the defendants while waiting for a flight to Los Angeles. According to the complaint, officers approached him under suspicion of criminal activity, placed him in a holding cell, handcuffed him, and proceeded to beat him severely. Despite their claims that a police dog had alerted them to narcotics in his luggage, no drugs were found. Kieffer asserts this lack of evidence nullified any probable cause for his detention and subsequent mistreatment.
Kieffer's lawsuit accuses the defendants of violating his Fourth and Fourteenth Amendment rights under the U.S. Constitution as well as corresponding protections under Louisiana state law. The complaint alleges that Sheriff Lopinto failed in his duty to properly hire and train his deputies, leading directly to Kieffer's injuries and rights violations. The plaintiff argues that these actions were not only unconstitutional but also amounted to assault, battery, false imprisonment, and other torts under Louisiana law.
In seeking justice through this legal action, Kieffer demands compensatory damages for physical injuries and mental anguish endured during the ordeal. He also seeks punitive damages against those involved individually for their malicious conduct. Additionally, he requests attorney fees under federal civil rights statutes (42 U.S.C.A §1983 and §1988) as well as a jury trial to resolve all issues presented in his complaint.
Representing Jarren Kieffer are attorneys Richard E. Wilson and Roy F. Wygant from Cox, Cox, Filo, Camel & Wilson based in Lake Charles. The case is presided over by Judge [Name] with Magistrate Judge [Name] assisting under Case ID 2:25-cv-00086.