A St. Louis official who joined protests after former Officer Jason Stockley was acquitted of murder last year in the shooting of drug suspect Anthony Lamar Smith is suing over the police response to the demonstrations, reports the Associated Press.
Democratic Alderwoman Megan Ellyia Green alleges in the federal lawsuit filed Tuesday that police used tear gas on her without justification on Sept. 15, 2017, during a demonstration that followed Stockley’s acquittal of first-degree murder in the death of Smith.
Green’s lawsuit said she suffered from respiratory problems for six months and remains fearful of police.
Green’s attorney, Javad Khazaeli, said the episode was another incident where St. Louis police “unleashed chemical munitions on peaceful citizens.”
The lawsuit comes a little more than a week after 14 federal lawsuits were filed accusing police of arresting and roughing up protesters, onlookers, and journalists during a downtown protest two days after the Stockley verdict. Stockley testified that the shooting was in self-defense because Smith was reaching toward a gun in his car. Prosecutors accused Stockley of planting the gun.
Police declined to comment on Green’s lawsuit Wednesday but have said in the past that the protests were often violent. Police have noted that 30 officers were injured, including some who still haven’t recovered.
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