PITTSBURGH - A Fayette County woman sued two Connellsville Area School District school resource officers in federal court after the officers allegedly attacked her minor son.
The complaint was filed by plaintiff Linda B. on May 3 in the U.S. District Court for the Western District of Pennsylvania against defendants resource officers James E. Shaw Sr. and Jesse Lnu.
According to the complaint, the plaintiff's minor son, RB, was walking from the Connellsville Area Career and Technical Center towards the Connellsville Area High School parking lot after class on October 17, 2020.
While heading towards the parking lot, RB was allegedly stopped by the defendants and questioned without any reason. Since he was not breaking any school rules and was not posing a threat to the defendants, RB informed the officers that he was not comfortable with being questioned and proceeded with his walk towards the parking lot, the suit says.
The plaintiff says that the officers then attacked her son, twisting his arm behind his back, sweeping his legs out, knocking him to the ground and handcuffing him.
The officers allegedly threatened to pepper spray the child if he did not comply.
In a meeting between the plaintiff, her son and the principal following the event, defendant Shaw allegedly left his cell phone device in the meeting to secretly record it.
The officer was criminally charged with false imprisonment of a minor, intercept communications, unlawful restraint and many others.
The defendants are sued for excessive force, false imprisonment, assault and battery, invasion of privacy and intentional infliction of emotional distress.
The plaintiff is represented by the Law Offices of Joel Sansone of Pittsburgh.