by Christopher Zoukis

 A California man, who was allegedly mistreated by the staff of a casino he was visiting and sheriff's deputies who forcefully arrested him, accepted a settlement agreement of an undisclosed amount for his troubles.

     On July 19, 2008, Roger Clark went to the Rolling Hill Casino in Tehama County, which was holding a raffle. After ordering a non-alcoholic drink, he became physically ill. According to Clark, casino employees placed him in a wheelchair and refused to let him leave or call for medical help.

     The casino called the Tehama County Sheriff's Department. Officers Bennet and Christopher Benson responded to the call. Clark claimed that the officers then dragged him across a sidewalk where they forced him to the ground, handcuffed him and slammed him into a police car. He was then taken to jail and charged with resisting arrest.

     On July 16, 2009, Clark filed a complaint in federal court against the casino, the sheriff's department, Tehama County, sheriff's Deputies Bennet and Benson, Clay Parker, Jon Pata and Eric Felix. He argued that he was falsely imprisoned, subjected to excessive force, denied medical treatment and falsely arrested, all in violation of his civil rights. He also claimed that police questioned him and took a blood sample without informing him of his Fifth and Fourteenth Amendment rights.

     Clark sought compensatory and punitive damages of $100,000, in addition to legal costs and medical expenses. In October 2011, the parties agreed to a settlement, and the case was dismissed by Magistrate Judge Craig M. Kellison on October 31.

 See: Clark v. Rolling Hills Casino, et al., United States District Court for the Eastern District of California, Case No. 2:09-cv-01948-CMK (Oct. 13, 2011)

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