Woman Files Personal Injury Lawsuit against Marseilles Police

 Posted on November 25, 2013 in Personal Injury

In May of 2013, Dana Holmes from Coal City was in LaSalle County for a wedding. She was pulled over in the town of Marseilles under suspicion of DUI. It was later reported that the 32 year old woman was three times over the legal limit of blood alcohol content. She was taken to the LaSalle County jail to be held for processing and charges. While at the jail cell, she claims that the officers on duty put her in various uncomfortable positions. There is surveillance video footage that shows Holmes was forcibly stripped by four deputies: one woman and three men. Then she was carried into a padded cell without the benefit of a bathroom. She has since plead guilty to the DUI charge and has also filed a personal injury lawsuit against the police claiming that they dehumanized, humiliated and degraded her. The police department has claimed that this was a necessary action based on Holmes' behavior. The female officer was kicked twice by Holmes during a pat down at the jail. She was placed in a padded cell to calm herself down for an hour. Holmes was naked initially but was given a tear-away suit as well as some blankets. The actions of the LaSalle Sheriff's Office have come under further scrutiny since Holmes has filed a lawsuit. Four more people have come forward making claims against the same department. All of them have come together to file a class action lawsuit with similar claims as Holmes. One of the plaintiffs also claimed that she was denied her diabetes medication and not given food that she was able to eat given her condition. Police misconduct occurs when procedures are not followed and prisoner's rights are not upheld. The claim in this case was that the LaSalle police department violated proper procedure by allowing a member of the opposite sex strip search Holmes. If you are a victim of police misconduct, then contact an experienced personal injury attorney in Naperville today.