A Jamestown funeral director has filed a lawsuit against Russell County Sheriff Derek Polston and Deputy Ronnie Golden, alleging he was unlawfully arrested and the victim of excessive force, in violation of his civil rights.
Scott Edward Hamm III, licensed funeral director with H. E. Pruitt Memory Chapel in Jamestown, recently filed the lawsuit in federal court in Bowling Green.
The allegations stem from Hamm’s arrest in August of last year where he was charged by Deputy Golden with alcohol intoxication in a public place and disorderly conduct.
Those charges against Hamm were dismissed in Russell District Court in April.
Hamm alleges that Deputy Golden trespassed upon his private property, physically assaulted and handcuffed him, resulting in injuries to his shoulder which required surgery.
Hamm also alleges in the lawsuit that Sheriff Polston negligently supervised Golden and that Polston negligently retained him as a deputy sheriff, despite an alleged history of Golden causing other civil rights violations, including at least two other similar lawsuits.
Hamm is seeking $750,000 in punitive damages, as well as unspecified compensatory damages for pain and suffering, as well as medical expenses.
Note: WJRS News would like to remind our listeners that allegations made in a lawsuit state only side of the matter.