LEXINGTON, Ky. (LEX 18) — The attorney for a couple wrongly detained during a case of mistaken identity says he will file a lawsuit against Lexington Police and Kentucky State Police for police brutality.
Scott White represents Gage Slone and Elena Perez. On June 9, they claim officers roughed them up and injured them while Slone tried to cash $6,600 in savings bonds given to him by a relative.
Lexington Police told us they were looking for someone else who had visited six Chase Bank locations trying to cash counterfeit bonds the same day.
Slone claims as he stood in the bank lobby, a state trooper grabbed him from behind and took him outside. Hospital medical records show he had a concussion and injuries to his head and arm after Slone claims officers pinned him to the ground with their knees.
Perez, who was waiting in their car, says a Lexington officer startled her when he tried to open her door. She refused telling us the officer never gave her an explanation. Police body cam video showed Perez pulled out of her car by the officer and a trooper who is seen grabbing her hair.
She says she was injured during the scuffle and lost some of her hair.
The couple's attorney told LEX 18 today police treated them like criminals instead of approaching the situation calmly.
"They clearly have their minds made up," said White.
Both Lexington and Kentucky State Police are conducting internal reviews of the incident. White says the Lexington officer who approached Perez and the state trooper should be fired.
Lexington Vice Mayor Steve Kay tells LEX 18 he is waiting for the internal review to be complete before making any decision on the Lexington officers' actions.
"If in fact, they acted in a way that's consistent with our present regs then we need to change the regs. If they acted in a way that's inconsistent, then there needs to be a consideration of how to handle their individual actions," said Kay at an unrelated press conference Monday morning.
Today Kentucky State Police released the following statement on the incident:
The officers' names have not been released.
