Lawsuit: Strip hotel guest woke up from a coma after security officers assaulted him

A Los Angeles man was in coma after being pushed to the pavement by a security officer at The Venetian, a lawsuit filed Wednesday alleges.

According to the complaint, security officers at the hotel and casino said they were responding to reports of a man "exposing himself" on Nov. 6, 2022.

Javier Marquez, who was in town celebrating his birthday with his wife, had been wearing his pants sagged below his waist, "consistent with current clothing trends," the complaint said.

Two security officers identified in the lawsuit as Michael Palmer and William Silvey had described Marquez as being cooperative, according to the complaint. The two men offered Marquez assistance back up to his hotel room, which Marquez declined.

But despite declining, the officers put Marquez in mechanical restraints and a wheelchair, according to the lawsuit, holding him down against his will.

Joined by a third security officer, the men then pushed Marquez onto the pavement with what the complaint described as "excessive force," causing him to suffer injury to his head, face, jaw, teeth and right eye.

The manager on duty, Alexis Padilla, is also named as a defendant in the lawsuit for allegedly failing to ensure that a report was filed about the incident.

The Venetian did not immediately respond to requests for comment.

Lasting impacts

Two days after the incident, on Nov. 8, 2022, Marquez woke up in the hospital from a coma, having also lost several teeth, according to the complaint.

Marquez "continues to suffer mentally and emotionally, haunted by the shock, fear and humiliation of this senseless attack."

Marquez' wife Nancy Marquez joined her husband as a plaintiff in the case, having also suffered greatly, the complaint said. Nancy Marquez watched her husband endure pain, "witnessing the man she once knew transformed by this traumatic event."

According to the complaint, the couple's marriage was "deeply strained by the lasting impact" of Marquez' injuries. His wife allegedly lost the "companionship, comfort and partnership" that he had once provided and is burdened by her husband's "ongoing pain and limitations."

The lawsuit said that Javier Marquez has, since the attack, experienced severe cognitive decline and now struggles with mental tasks. His ability to operate his business was also compromised, causing financial hardship.

A previous version of this story incorrectly identified the owner of The Venetian.