‘Mayor of Poppleton’ gets settlement

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The city’s Board of Estimates is scheduled Wednesday to approve a $63,000 settlement with a West Baltimore man nicknamed the “Mayor of Poppleton” who alleged police broke his arm and used excessive force during a traffic stop.

James Clay, better known as “Lenny” and owner of Lenny’s House of Naturals barbershop, sought at least $12 million in damages in his lawsuit against two officers. The settlement was reached Sept. 4 on what would have been the sixth day of a jury trial in Baltimore City Circuit Court, according to court records.

Clay, 77, has been cutting hair for more than 50 years in Poppleton and counts local politicians and government officials among his clientele. He is known for “his work in the community talking kids out of selling drugs, raising money for Pop Warner football league uniforms and giving money to send talented students to private schools,” according to an amended complaint.

Clay alleged he was pulled over by police in December 2009 while on his way to a friend’s house to give the friend money to pay for blood pressure medicine, according to his complaint. The officers threw Clay on the ground face-first and pushed his face to the ground, the complaint alleged. They broke Clay’s right arm with “their use of excessive and brutal force,” according to the complaint.

According to the police version of events, the officers saw Clay’s car strike a parked car and followed Clay until he stopped his car. Clay refused to get out of the car when asked, so the officers removed him. He struggled with officers as they handcuffed him and later said his right arm hurt. The officers noticed the smell of alcohol on Clay, who also appeared intoxicated.

Clay was taken to Saint Agnes Hospital for treatment on his arm.

Clay was charged with leaving the scene of an accident and driving without a license but prosecutors dropped the case in November 2010.

Clay’s lawsuit sought $2 million in compensatory and $10 million in punitive damages for battery, use of excessive force, failure to provide adequate safety and gross negligence.

In a separate case, the Board of Estimates is also scheduled to approve a $50,000 settlement with a Lochearn man who alleged he was falsely arrested and imprisoned by police.

Anthony Keyes said officers accused him of coming to a friend’s West Baltimore house to purchase drugs in February 2011, when he said he came to sell the friend a car, according to his lawsuit.

Keyes handed over his penknife when officers asked if he had any weapons and attempted to show them his dealer’s license and the vehicle but instead was thrown to the ground and beaten, according to the lawsuit. Police also used a Taser on him, the lawsuit states.

Charges of assaulting a police officer against Keyes were later dropped, according to his complaint.

Defense lawyers, in a pretrial statement, countered that Keyes entered the house through a rear basement door in an attempt to buy marijuana. Keyes refused to provide identification when asked and kept the knife concealed until officers found it while patting him down, according to the statement.

Keys “became belligerent” after again being asked for ID, at which point the officers called for assistance and tried to handcuff him, according to the statement. It took three officers to get Keyes to the ground and Keyes struck his head on a table on the way down, according to the statement.

Officers used “departmental approved and sanctioned arm bars and their body weights” to handcuff Keyes following a “violent struggle,” according to the statement.

“Two sets of handcuffs were necessary due to Plaintiff’s size and stature,” according to the statement.

Keyes’ original lawsuit sought $600,000 in compensatory damages and $3 million in punitive damages for false imprisonment, malicious prosecution, false arrest, battery and assault.

CLAY V. BROWN, ET AL

Court:

Baltimore City Circuit

Case No.:

24C123001348

Outcome:

$63,000 settlement

Dates:

Event: Dec. 23, 2009

Suit filed: Feb. 29, 2012

Settlement order: Sept. 4, 2013

Plaintiffs’ Attorney:

William H. Murphy Jr. and Tonya Osborne Baña of Murphy Falcon & Murphy in Baltimore.

Defendants’ Attorneys:

Harry S. Johnson, Danielle G. Marcus and Emily A. Daneker of Whiteford Taylor & Preston LLP

Counts:

Battery, use of excessive force, failure to provide adequate safety and gross negligence

KEYES V. MONTEMARANO, ET AL

Court:

Baltimore City Circuit

Case No.:

24C12006892

Outcome:

$50,000 settlement

Dates:

Event: Feb. 3, 2011

Suit filed: Nov. 28, 2012

Settlement order: Nov. 20, 2013

Plaintiff’s Attorneys:

John C. Themelis and James L. Rhodes, Baltimore solo practitioners

Defendants’ Attorneys:

Michael L. Marshall and Chaz R. Ball of Schlachman, Belsky & Weiner, P.A. in Baltimore

Counts:

False imprisonment, malicious prosecution, false arrest, battery and assault