WARREN Man sues councilman in shooting

James 'Doc' Pugh, then a leader of the local NAACP, was never charged with a crime in the 2001 shooting.
WARREN -- A city man sentenced to six years in prison for aggravated robbery is suing the store owner who shot him in the act.
Lamar Mitchell, 1372 Palmyra Road, was shot in the buttocks by James "Doc" Pugh, then head of the local NAACP, in a failed 2001 armed robbery of Pugh's store, RBG Music on Palmyra Road.
Mitchell was hospitalized for at least a day as a result of the injury. Although he was 17 when the robbery took place, he was charged as an adult and eventually pleaded guilty to the crime.
Pugh, who now represents Warren's 6th Ward on city council, was never charged. Police Chief John Mandopoulos said Pugh & quot;acted appropriately. & quot;
In a lawsuit filed Wednesday in Trumbull County Court of Common Pleas, Mitchell says Pugh acted negligently by shooting him and asks for more than $25,000 in damages for pain and suffering.
Pugh testified that Mitchell came into his store, asked for a tape, then put a gun to Pugh's head.
The two wrestled. Pugh eventually produced his own gun from behind the store counter and caught up with Mitchell as he tried to flee.
Pugh told police he was pulling down the youth's pants to prevent him from running while police were being summoned when his gun accidentally went off.