In a lawsuit, a Jersey City man is claiming police performed an illegal search, spit on him, shouted “racial slurs,” and fractured his arm during a false arrest.
By John Heinis/Hudson County View
The 11-count lawsuit, filed in Hudson County Superior Court last month against the city, police department, and John Does 1 through 20, says that Lamont Perry, 42, was walking home when he was “unlawfully stopped” by police.
The incident allegedly occurred at the intersection of Martin Luther King Drive and Bostwick Avenue on January 12th, 2021.
When he told the officers he was on his way home, they proceeded to perform an “illegal search” and “placed him under arrest for a crime that was never committed” by Perry, the court filing states.
The court document further contends that he was spit on and had “racial slurs” shouted at him by the officers while he was handcuffed.
Through the suit, Perry also says that the police department claims there is no audio recording from the incident despite the fact that the officers were wearing audio recording devices (police body cameras weren’t yet mandated at this time).
His attorney Paul Foreman, of Roseland, is claiming that he was subjected to a false arrest, excessive force, a due process violation, false imprisonment, conspiracy to commit constitutional violations, failure to intervene, malicious prosecution, assault and battery, intentional infliction of emotional distress, and indemnification.
As a result, Perry is seeking compensatory damages, attorneys’ fees, and punitive damages against the officers involved in the incident – who are not named explicitly – along with any other relief the court deems just and equitable.
The city’s policy is typically not to comment on pending litigation.