A Windsor man has filed a lawsuit against employees and the owner of popular downtown Hartford bar The Russian Lady, alleging battery and infliction of emotional distress in an assault captured in a viral video.
Joshua Gilmore, 28, alleges in a Monday lawsuit filed in Hartford Superior Court that he was thrown into a window and then down two flights of stairs by bar staff on Nov. 4. Gilmore alleges he suffered a “gaping laceration to the back of his skull, fracture to his right elbow, a concussion, and scattered abrasions in multiple areas” as a result of the incident.
Gilmore’s attorney, DeVaughn Ward, said his client is seeking justice and restitution.
“At minimum, that means the individuals that assaulted him are prosecuted criminally,” Ward said. “It would mean that he is made whole, he's restored for the damages to his body.”
Ward said the attack was triggered by Gilmore bumping into an unidentified man, leading to a verbal altercation preceding a physical confrontation.
“This has not been an easy ordeal,” Ward said. “The actual assault, but also having this video of the assault go viral and being shared to millions on social media is, you know, mentally distressing.”
Hartford Police spokesperson Lt. Aaron Boisvert said Thursday the incident remains under investigation by the department.
Gilmore is seeking in excess of $15,000 in damages.
Among the defendants named in the suit is bar owner Jerry Fornarelli, who did not return a request for comment Thursday.
According to the Hartford Business Journal, the bar has voluntarily surrendered its liquor license while the state’s Department of Consumer Protection investigates the incident. The bar remained closed Thursday.
“They will continue to remain closed as they re-evaluate and restructure their security team and protocols," DCP told the Journal.
The Russian Lady, located at 191 Ann Uccello Street in downtown Hartford, bills itself on its website as a “multifaceted café and nightlife venue that has established itself as a domineering force in its industry.” It opened in 1976.
