Rapid City denies excessive force claim against officer

Incident at nightclub spurs lawsuit against police, bouncer, security company, lounge

Photo by Scott Rodgerson on Unsplash

Rapid City is defending a police officer who has been accused of using excessive force on a man who was attempting to enter a nightclub.

Besides suing Rapid City Police Officer Thanasis Kouris, the department and the city, Michael Mercy has also filed suit against the Oasis Lounge and Scott Lockyear, a bouncer at the bar, as well as Mountain States Security Inc. The case, which was originally filed in Pennington County, has been removed to federal court.

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All of the defendants in the case filed responses this month denying Mercy’s claims.

The incident in question occurred Nov. 6, 2021 when Mercy was attempting to enter the Oasis Lounge. Kouris was outside the entryway with Lockyear on an unrelated call. Lockyear, according to Mercy’s complaint, asked for identification. As Mercy reached for his wallet, Kouris grabbed Mercy’s arm and pulled him backwards without giving Mercy verbal commands.

Rapid City denies this.

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