San Gabriel Valley : Suit Charges Excessive Force by Police

In a suit against Pasadena police, two local business owners and an associate have accused officers of detaining them at gunpoint without cause and using excessive force and racial epithets.

The lawsuit, filed this week by Thomas Rogers II, Kirk Adkins and Stacy Cowan, contends that Officer Jason Clawson and other unnamed officers used unreasonable force and conducted an improper search “that resulted in extreme physical and emotional pain” last April 12.

Police and city officials declined to comment Thursday, saying they had not been served with the suit.

According to the lawsuit, the incident began when Rogers, who owns a Pasadena motor accessories business, was returning Adkins’ car after installing a stereo. As the two stood outside Adkins’ flooring business in 1500 block of North Fair Oaks Avenue about 6:30 p.m., Clawson and another plainclothes officer ran up to to them with guns drawn without identifying themselves as police.

Adkins, an African American, was writing Rogers a check when Clawson, using an expletive, ordered the men to lie on the ground, put his gun against Rodgers’ head and shoved him onto the sidewalk, according to the suit.

The suit, which seeks $700,000, also alleges that Clawson ordered Cowan from a parked car and searched her, even though a female officer was present. The plaintiffs were questioned at the scene but were not arrested.