WARREN Sisters file suit, say police violated rights

The 14-year-old girl was thrown into an automobile by police, her attorney says.
By PEGGY SINKOVICH
VINDICATOR TRUMBULL STAFF
WARREN -- Two sisters are seeking unspecified damages in a lawsuit contending police officers violated their constitutional rights.
Margaret K. Moore, 18, and Jackee Moore, 14, filed the suit Tuesday in Trumbull County Common Pleas Court. The case has been assigned to Judge Peter Kontos.
The suit names the city, Sgt. William Boldin and other unnamed police officers as defendants. Boldin called the suit frivolous. No other defendants could be reached.
According to the suit, the sisters, who live on Wallace Street S.E., attended a birthday party at the Comfort Inn on March 15, and as they were leaving about 12:30 a.m., they were unlawfully detained and assaulted by police.
Margaret Moore said she was struck by police, according to her attorney, Gilbert Rucker.
"Jackee was thrown against a car," Rucker said. "We are talking about a minor girl that was thrown so forcefully that the force dented the automobile -- it is impossible to find just cause for that type of treatment."
Both sisters suffered physical and emotional injuries, the lawsuit states.
Conflicting facts
An internal investigation into allegations that police used excessive force during a melee found no wrongdoing by officers.
According to police, about 100 to 150 juveniles spilled onto North Park Avenue after the party, and several fights broke out.
The report of the episode, however, notes that Caren Boss of Union Street said she went to Comfort Inn to pick up her niece, and police damaged her vehicle during the arrest of a juvenile.
Boss reported that police slammed a female (Jackee Moore) into Boss' car. The girl was arrested on a curfew violation and a resisting arrest charge, the report notes.
Arresting officers reported that they grabbed the girl and that she pulled away and fell into the vehicle during the struggle.
The internal report notes that two officers involved were disciplined: Boldin received a written reprimand for not having his cruiser video camera on during the arrest. Tim Ladner also received a written reprimand for not having his audio recorder on.
sinkovich@vindy.com