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Show Suit charges city with police abuse Vernal City officials claim they have never been served with a suit from an ex-Vernal resident who allegedly is claiming police abuse. According to news articles in daily newspapers, the suit was filed by Williams Leslie Allen, who was a Vernal Ver-nal resident at the time of the arrest, June 23, 1978. The action says he was "peacefully and lawfully sitting on the steps in front of his residence" when city ci-ty police officers approached him, handed him a complaint charging him with insulting a female and arrested him. Vernal City Police Chief Robert T. Downard said he is aware of the arrest of Allen, but said he couldn't comment on the suit because the department hadn't been served with it. "Until we're served with the suit, we don't know where we stand," Downard said. Shane Luck, city manager, said he was also unaware of the suit being served serv-ed to the city. Allen is seeking over $1 million in damages from Vernal City claiming he was mistreated in jail, not booked and never tried. The suit says Allen asked if he could go to his apartment for a few moments before being taken to jail. '"The policmen replied that this would be allowed. As the plaintiff turned to go up the stairs, the policemen in completely unnecessary and rough manner grabbed grabb-ed him, frisked him, handcuffed him, and took him off to the police station," the suit charges. |