Rochester man sues Geneseo police, alleging false arrest, assault

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A Rochester man is seeking more than $2.1 million from the village of Geneseo in a federal lawsuit claiming false arrest, malicious prosecution, and assault.

In addition to the village of Geneseo and its police department, the lawsuit filed earlier this month in the U.S. District Court in Rochester names officer Travis Lana as a defendant.

Plaintiff Jamahl King is represented by Rochester attorney Mark A. Young.

The lawsuit claims Lana arrested King on May 1, 2022, on charges of fourth-degree grand larceny “at his place of employment and in front of onlookers.”

The case was subsequently presented to a grand jury “and a finding of dismissal was entered … on Sept. 1, 2022,” according to the complaint.

King, who was working for a private security service, was accused of stealing a gas card and a credit card from his employer, Young said.

The gas card was used to purchase gasoline for a car, but video evidence showed that the card was not used by King, Young said. The credit card was used to pay a car insurance bill, but not for King, Young said.

“He was promptly fired from his job and the New York State Department of State put a hold on his security license preventing him from any security service employment during this matter,” according to the suit.

“Solely as a result of the illegal arrest, the plaintiff was caused to endure the loss of his freedom, loss of his employment, loss of income, suspension of his New York state security guard license, in addition to extreme public embarrassment by his wrongful arrest and possible imprisonment,” according to the suit.

“The wrongful, unjustifiable and unlawful apprehension, arrest, detention, were all carried out without proper investigation, probable cause or a warrant,” according to the complaint.

The suit claims the defendants “conspired to falsely arrest and imprison” King.

King was subjected to “humiliation, ridicule and disgrace, and was otherwise psychologically, physically and, economically injured and damaged,” according to the complaint.

The lawsuit seeks at least $120,000 in compensatory damages and at least $2 million in punitive damages, plus attorney’s fees and costs.

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