SALT LAKE CITY-Thursday, news broke that Salt Lake City Main Library security guards knelt on a black man, per a lawsuit the man in question has filed.
The man asserts he was beaten and officers knelt on his neck.
However, library officials say the man was suspected of attacking a woman and has only recently made claims that the guards knelt on him.
Thursday, two law firms announced they have jointly filed a lawsuit on behalf of 59-year-old Anthony Nelson.
This civil law suit was filed in 3rd District Court Wednesday against the Salt Lake City Main Library, its executive director Peter Bromberg, library board director Lu Marzulli, the Salt Lake City corporation, CBI Security Services and security guards, S.O. Corella and Nathan Larsen.
The suit asserts Nelson was stopped by two security guards who “without cause” senselessly beat him and demeaned him “because of his race.”
This incident reportedly occurred April 4, 2019.
Nelson’s attorney says Nelson was on his way to work and stopped to chat with a friend at the library plaza.
At about this same time, an argument broke out between two women nearby, one of whom attacked the other with a stick.
Nelson witnessed the altercation from a distance but did not know the women, Nelson’s attorney continued.
Two security guards then approached as Nelson pointed in the direction that one of the women fled, per the statement.
One of the guards then ordered Nelson to the ground.
Nelson’s attorney said that one of the guards told Nelson that because he was black and the suspected perpetrator of the attack was also black, he must somehow be involved with the suspect.
When Nelson explained that he had nothing to do with the argument and did not know the women, one of the guards, Nathan Larsen, began striking Nelson in the face with a closed fist.
The other guard, S.O. Corella, then struck Nelson on the back of his head with his baton.
The unarmed Nelson then fell to the cement where the guards zip-tied his hands behind his back per the statement from Nelson’s attorney.
The lawsuit asserts that “with great force,” Corella struck Nelson on the back of his head and that Nelson had no notice or warning that Corella would hit him with his baton.
This caused Nelson to fall to the ground face-first, confused and injured.
Nelson, per one of his attorneys, then claimed he felt a knee on his neck.
Library officials say Nelson was pointed out as a possible suspect by one of the victims.
Nelson was then treated for a possible broken nose, among other injuries.
The lawsuit asserts he required stitches to control the bleeding and close numerous large wounds to his head.
The lawsuit says Nelson is “permanently disfigured from these injuries.”
He also has “a raised scar in a prominent location on his right forehead,” per the lawsuit.
Furthermore, the lawsuit asserts he has lost some vision in his right eye.
CBI senior vice president Derek Evans, in a Thursday statement, said he needed to read through this lawsuit before commenting.
Salt Lake City Mayor Erin Mendenhall’s office released a statement on the matter, saying the library is a separate entity from the city and the employees involved in this matter are not city employees.
The statement continued, saying the city is supportive of the library’s process and internal investigation but can offer no comment as this is not city business. It concluded, confirming that Salt Lake City is analyzing further steps “to remove the city from the case.”
