Strip club entertainer sues First Amendment

A Smithton woman claims the owners of an adult club failed to protect her from being cut with a knife while she was working there.

Ann Mollett filed a lawsuit July 14 in Madison County Circuit Court against First Amendment.

In her complaint, Mollett claims she worked as an entertainer for First Amendment, which operates Wise Guys in Washington Park. She claims that on Aug. 28, 2009, several of her fellow entertainers beat, attacked and humiliated her. During the attack, Mollett was cut with a knife, the complaint states.

Because of the incident, Mollett sustained severe injuries, was hindered from attending to her normal duties and lost the value of her time, the suit states. In addition, she suffered great pain and anguish, the complaint says.

Mollett blames First Amendment for causing her injuries, saying it negligently failed to warn her of the dangerous condition, failed to protect her from its entertainers, failed to provide security to protect her and failed to stop the attack in a reasonable time. In addition, the club failed to come to Mollett's aid during the attack, failed to properly hire entertainers, failed to provide a reasonable plan for attacks at the club, failed to warn of the dangerous nature of the club and failed to properly control its entertainers, the suit states.

In her complaint, Mollett seeks a judgment of more than $50,000, plus costs and other relief the court deems just.

William J. Mateyka and George H. Albers of Mateyka and Associates in Granite City will be representing her.

Madison County Circuit Court case number: 11-L-695.