Fans Claim Cardinals’|Cop Roughed Them up

ST. LOUIS (CN) - A St. Louis Cardinals police officer assaulted and falsely arrested two fans after they made a wrong turn leaving Busch Stadium, the fans claim in court.

George Ban and Monique Murphy sued St. Louis Cardinals, SLC Holdings, and police Officer Vincent Hayden, who works for the city and SLC, according to the complaint in City Court.

After leaving the game on Aug. 18, 2010, Murphy, a Canadian resident who was unfamiliar with St. Louis, says she took a wrong turn near the stadium while trying to get on a highway.

After another officer stopped them, Hayden slammed his hand on their vehicle and demanded Murphy get out of the car, the complaint states.. Murphy claims Hayden forcibly removed her from the car, handcuffed and threw her down on the pavement.

Ban says he got out of the car to see if Murphy was OK and to explain that they were just trying to find the highway, but Hayden handcuffed him and threw him to the ground too, then took him to the security office in Busch Stadium.

"Defendant Hayden then struck Ban in the face multiple times with his fist, causing injury to plaintiff Ban," the complaint states.

"Defendant Hayden then used a club to repeatedly hit the right side of Ban's body causing further injury to plaintiff Ban.

"Other servants, agents and employees of defendant SLC and/or Cardinals were present in the security office and witnessed defendant Hayden batter plaintiff Ban, but did not attempt to intervene or protect plaintiff Ban."

Murphy says she too was taken to the Busch Stadium security office, where she "was searched by among other things, intrusion into her bra and pants, repeatedly interrogated and locked in a holding cell inside the security offices by agents, servants and employees of defendant SLC and/or Cardinals; further plaintiff Murphy was not advised of her rights under any provision of the Constitution of the United States."

Murphy and Ban seek punitive damages for constitutional violations, battery, intentional infliction of emotional distress, false imprisonment, failure and refusal to render aid and negligent hiring and retention. They are represented by John Steward.

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