Federal lawsuit filed in jail cell death

The parents of a man who died in a Laguna Beach city jail cell in January 2006 filed a $12.5 million wrongful death and civil rights lawsuit in federal court April 6.
Terry and Kathleen Dunlevy accuse the Laguna Beach Police Department of denying medical aid to Matthew Dunlevy, 25, who was taken to jail after refusing to leave the ladies’ room at the White House restaurant in downtown Laguna Beach late on Jan. 5, 2006.

The complaint states that Dunlevy was doing “jumping jacks” in the bathroom and would not leave.

The Dunlevys accuse police of repeatedly using a Taser device on their son, beating him unconscious and leaving him unattended in a city jail cell for hours.

Matthew Dunlevy was found dead in his cell at about 3:45 a.m. the following day, about four hours after his arrest.

Laguna Beach Police were exonerated of any wrongdoing by the Orange County district attorney’s office, which investigated the death. The County Coroner ruled the death accidental by means of “acute intoxication of cocaine and ethanol.”

In addition to the City of Laguna Beach, the lawsuit names Police Chief Michael Sellers, Sgt. Guy Miller, Sgt. Jenny Jones and Officer Starl (no first name given) as co-defendants.

Laguna Beach City Attorney Philip Kohn said he had not seen the lawsuit and therefore could not comment on the case.