Federal lawsuit alleges Alexandria woman’s death occurred at the hands of APD officers

ALEXANDRIA, La. (KALB) - The mother of a woman who died in a hospital apparently following an interaction with the Alexandria Police Department on May 17, 2022, has filed a federal civil lawsuit against three APD officers, the City of Alexandria and Sheriff Mark Wood.

This lawsuit was filed May 17, 2023, by Rosa Lee Taylor, so exactly one year after the incident apparently happened to her daughter, Rose Marie Taylor.

She has retained attorney Jermaine Harris, who filed this lawsuit in the U.S. District Court for the Western District of Louisiana in Alexandria. The lawsuit claims on May 17, 2022, Rose Marie Taylor was in her vehicle in the parking lot of the Seigel Select Hotel on 1000 MacArthur Drive. Taylor was talking to her girlfriend who was standing outside the vehicle and happened to be a guest at the hotel.

The lawsuit states that two APD officers, Brian Frost and Matthew Frost, arrived in separate police units and blocked Taylor’s vehicle. Matthew Frost approached Taylor first, while her driver’s door was open, asked for ID, and she said she did not have one. She was asked to show her right hand and step out of the vehicle. That is when the lawsuit states a struggle ensued and Brian Frost helped pull Taylor from the vehicle and handcuffed her.

The lawsuit states Brian Frost pushed Taylor head-first onto his police unit while she was cuffed and allegedly not resisting. Police said narcotics were found on Taylor. The lawsuit claims she was pushed on the hood again, claiming Taylor did not know to remain on the hood. At this point, while Taylor and her girlfriend were read their rights, Taylor began to slowly walk away while cuffed. That is when Taylor was slammed again onto the hood. The lawsuit claims Taylor was not given a reason for why she was detained, but a report later did, explaining she was “loitering.”

Taylor ended up at the Rapides Parish Jail, where she apparently told staff she wanted medical attention but did not want to go with Matthew Frost because she said he caused her injuries.

Another APD officer, Alexander Helminger, took her to the hospital, but while there, the lawsuit claims that APD told the hospital and signed a written refusal that Taylor did not want to be treated.

She was sent back to the jail, despite wanting an X-RAY on her arm. She was booked on drug charges and a probation violation.

Two days later, Taylor was found unresponsive in her cell. Initially, it was believed she overdosed and Narcan was administered, she then began seizing.

As Acadian Ambulance arrived, she was taken to the hospital, where she died on May 30, 2022. An autopsy would reveal that she had an adrenal hematoma and blunt force injuries.

The pathologist, Dr. Christopher Tape, called the death a “homicide.”

We have reached out to the City of Alexandria and RPSO. They both shared that they cannot comment on active investigations. You can view the lawsuit in its entirety below:

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