Philly Officers Sue LeSean McCoy Over Bar Fight
PHILADELPHIA (CBS) — Months after the Philadelphia District Attorney said there wasn't enough evidence to charge LeSean McCoy in a bar fight early this year that left two off-duty cops hurt, the officers have filed a civil lawsuit against the former Eagles running back and others.
Roland Butler and Darnell Jessie say they should be awarded damages for the "severe physical pain, aches, mental anguish, humiliation… and lost wages" they claim to have suffered in the brawl in February at Recess Lounge in Old City.
That's according to a civil suit filed on Tuesday morning in the Philadelphia Court of Common Pleas against the nightclub, McCoy, and his friends Tamarcus Porter and Christopher Henderson.
"Mr. McCoy was not separating anybody," said Bill Davis, an attorney with McMonagle, Perri, McHugh & Mischak in Philadelphia who represents the officers. "He was not telling people to calm down. He was punching people in the face."
Dennis Cogan, a lawyer for McCoy, has not returned a call for comment, but previously has said that the Buffalo Bills player was only trying to break up the fight.
Davis said it began over a bottle of champagne, which Porter claimed was his.
"Mr. Porter pushed and then punched Mr. Butler in the face," Davis said. "Mr. Butler fell to the floor. At that point, Mr. McCoy, Mr. Henderson, and others in their party came over and viciously, relentlessly punched, kicked, and hit Mr. Butler."
As Jessie tried to intervene, Davis said, McCoy punched the cop in the eye. The officers were out of work for a couple months recovering from their injuries, according to the attorney.
"Mr. Butler had a broken nose, multiple broken ribs, and a broken thumb," Davis said. "His nose required surgery. Mr. Jessie had facial fractures. Both had lacerations to their face. Mr. Jessie had a concussion."
The suit accuses Recess Lounge of negligence, claiming McCoy and the others were served alcohol while they were already "visibly intoxicated."
Neither Edward McHugh, an attorney for the nightclub, nor a man who identified himself on the phone as an owner of the bar, would comment on the suit.
