East St. Louis city and officers sued for injuries by bar patron

Lachien Scott of St. Clair County is seeking in excess of $300,000 in damages from three East St. Louis police officers and the city for an alleged attack that occurred at a bar earlier this year.

According to a complaint filed Oct. 9 in St. Clair County Circuit Court, Scott was socializing with friends at Blackmon's Bar in East St. Louis on March 21, when at around 2 a.m. one of the officers attacked him without provocation.

Scott claims officer Lamar Martin, who was wearing his police apparel, badge and handcuffs, struck him with his fist. He also claims Martin struck him with handcuffs.

"One or more of the other police defendants, knowingly and without unlawful (sic) justification, joined Martin's attack on plaintiff and also repeatedly struck the plaintiff about his head and body with various items," the complaint states.

"All of the foregoing occurred while plaintiff was unarmed, lawfully on the premises, and in no way posed a threat to the police defendants or to the safety of any other person."

The other defendants include Lance Murphy and Ronald Ross.

Scott is represented by Philip B. Alfeld and Lanny Darr of Schrempf, Kelly, Napp & Darr in Alton.