Lamar Wright settles case against City of Euclid for $475,000
Lamar’s lawsuit against the City of Euclid was aimed at getting justice for the brutal attack he suffered and exposing the illegal practices of the Euclid Police Department.
Background
While parked in a driveway to use his cell phone in November 2016, Lamar Wright saw two men approach his car, yelling at him with guns drawn. He feared they were carjackers, but then realized they were police. Euclid officers Kyle Flagg and Vashon Williams, who had targeted and run up on Lamar without probable cause, opened the driver’s side door and told Lamar to put his hands up and turn the car off—which he did. But before giving him an opportunity to exit the car, Flagg and Williams brutally attacked Lamar Wright, simultaneously tasing him and pepper-spraying him at close range. At the time, Lamar was recovering from surgery and had staples in his stomach and a colostomy bag. Flagg’s and Williams’ tactics caused Lamar Wright serious pain and injury after the recent surgery. Flagg and Williams took Lamar into custody, where he was harassed by police and held long after posting bail. Flagg and Williams then filed multiple false charges against Lamar, including Obstructing Official Business, Resisting Arrest, and Criminal Trespass. After several months of baseless prosecution, all charges against Lamar were dismissed.
Approach & Resolution
We filed a federal lawsuit against the City of Euclid for the use of excessive force against Lamar, and for his false arrest, unlawful extended detention, and Flagg’s and Williams’ malicious prosecution. The lawsuit also included a claim against the City of Euclid itself for its policies, practices, and customs relating to the EPD’s approach to the use of force. Lamar’s case exposed the EPD’s unlawful and offensive training for police officers on when and how to use force, including EPD’s Chief Scott Meyer’s approval of appalling training materials that treated use of force as a joke. Lamar’s case also exposed the City of Euclid for its failure to discipline officers for excessive force events.
The lawsuit was initially dismissed but a federal appeals court reversed that decision in 2020 and ruled that the case could proceed to trial. In September 2020, Lamar Wright settled his case for $475,000.