City of St. Louis Named in Civil Rights Class Action Over Alleged Police Misconduct

New to ClassAction.org? Read our Newswire Disclaimer

Two plaintiffs have filed a proposed class action lawsuit against the city of St. Louis, Missouri over the alleged conduct of its police officers. The 12-page lawsuit takes issue with, specifically, St. Louis police officers' alleged:

• Interference with citizens’ right to record officers in public places;
• “Unreasonable” seizure of citizens and use of excessive force; and
• Violation of individuals’ due process rights “by kettling and gassing and spraying them with chemical agents” meant to inflict “pain and confusion” without warning.

The lawsuit stems from protests that broke out following the acquittal of former St. Louis police officer Jason Stockley for the 2011 murder of Anthony Lamar Smith. The plaintiffs detail in the complaint that St. Louis Metropolitan police officers showed up at the protests in full tactical dress, armed with batons, full-body riot shields, tear gas, pepper spray, and pepper pellets.

It’s on the alleged use of these non-deadly weapons that the case focuses, claiming that, without instruction or warning, officers “surrounded protestors, observers, and members of the press, cutting off all routes of egress—including via any sidewalk—and prohibiting the people trapped inside from leaving.” Chemical agents were then deployed, the lawsuit alleges, as police, throughout the weekend, “commanded protestors and observers to cease recording video and photographs” of the events.

Per the city of St. Louis’ alleged role in the above instances, the lawsuit claims: