Two Grayson County men have filed a federal lawsuit alleging their civil rights were violated during their arrest at their home while it was on fire.
Lannie and Daron Fentress were taken into custody by Leitchfield police officers after re-entering their burning home earlier this summer. The lawsuit claims the men were “forcibly subdued by multiple uniformed officers during the course of an illegal arrest.”
According to the lawsuit, Lannie Fentress instructed his wife to call 911 on June 9 after hearing a loud explosion and smelling smoke inside their Rison Street home. Lannie Fentress and his son, Daron, attempted to extinguish a fire in the basement while awaiting the fire department’s arrival.
Multiple Leitchfield officers also arrived, carrying fire extinguishers into the home.
The lawsuit states Lannie Fentress was in his own home, had broken no federal, state, or local laws, and was simply trying to keep his house from burning down.
The Fentresses claim officers failed to assist in putting out the fire, prompting Lannie Fentress to re-enter the home to address it himself. Officers tried blocking him and followed Fentress inside.
Body camera footage shows Sgt. Dennis Newton threatening to hit Daron Fentress with a fire extinguisher. The footage also shows officers tasing the Fentresses and restraining them on the basement floor.
The Fentresses were initially charged with several crimes, including a felony assault charge and multiple misdemeanors. However, a Grayson County grand jury returned a no true bill against Lannie Fentress, finding insufficient evidence to indict him, leading to the dismissal of charges.
The lawsuit alleges police had no legal basis to detain the Fentresses or remove them from their property and accuses officers of violating their rights against excessive force and cruel and unusual punishment.
The Fentresses also claim they were unlawfully assaulted, battered, and subjected to negligent actions by the officers and entities involved.
According to records, Sgt. Dennis Newton, one of the officers named in the lawsuit, was reprimanded by the Leitchfield Police Department and required to complete de-escalation training.
He also faces criminal charges related to the incident.
The lawsuit seeks damages for wrongful personal injuries, embarrassment, humiliation, negligence, assault, battery, negligent hiring and supervision, consequential damages, punitive damages, and attorney’s fees and costs.
Defendants named in the lawsuit include the City of Leitchfield, Leitchfield Police Department, Officers Dennis Newton, Justin Cockerel, Brian Jennings, Tamara Jupin, the County of Grayson, and the Grayson County Sheriff’s Office.
Attorney Matthew Baker in Bowling Green is representing the Fentresses.
The City of Leitchfield has until December 10 to respond to the lawsuit’s claims.
Source: WBKO
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