Venetian Las Vegas Lawsuit Claims Security Left Man in Coma over Low-Riding Pants 

A tourist from California filed a lawsuit against Venetian Las Vegas this week over a 2022 incident with the Las Vegas Strip resort’s security.  

The lawsuit alleges Javier Marquez was violently pushed to the ground by officers during a confrontation about his pants, leaving him with permanent injuries after waking from a three-day coma. 

Marquez says he was walking through the casino with his wife in November 2022, when security approached him saying they were responding to reports of a man exposing himself. Marquez was wearing his pants down below his waist in the style known as “sagging”, and the security officers said he fit the description from the report. 

Marquez says he agreed to change his clothes, but security asked to accompany him to his room. He says he declined that request, but said the casino security then detained him and attempted to put him in a wheelchair. During the struggle, the lawsuit alleges, Marquez was pushed to the ground with excessive force. 

He hit his head, and woke up three days later after being in a coma. The suit says he has permanent injuries that have severely affected his life. Venetian Las Vegas has yet to comment on the matter. 

The Incident 

Marquez was visiting the Venetian Las Vegas from Los Angeles in November 2022 when the incident occurred. He was with his wife, Nancy Marquez, who is also a plaintiff, as she claims emotional and financial damage from the fallout of her husband’s injuries.

On November 6, the Venetian security team received reports of a person “exposing themselves,” the lawsuit said. They approached Marquez, who was wearing his pants down below his waist without a belt. 

The somewhat controversial fashion choice, known as “sagging,” was “consistent with current clothing trends,” the lawsuit said.

Officers said Marquez matched the description in reports and spoke to him. Michael Palmer and William Silvey, of the Venetian security team, asked Marquez to change his clothes. Both officers subsequently described Marquez as “cooperative” with their initial request, the lawsuit said. But when they asked to accompany him to his room to ensure he complied, Marquez refused. 

The lawsuit says this is when security called in a third unnamed officer, and they forcibly restrained him. As they struggled, Marquez was “pushed with excessive force” to the floor by one or more of the security officers, the suit claims.

It alleges the plaintiff woke up three days later in a Las Vegas hospital. He was missing three teeth and had severe bruising to the right side of his face and head. 

The Lawsuit

The legal filings were handled by Las Vegas-based firm Sgro and Roger. As well as the three security guards and the Venetian Las Vegas, the lawsuit also named the Venetian’s on-duty manager on the day of the incident. According to the Las Vegas Review-Journal, Las Vegas Sands was listed a defendant. 

On the date of the incident, the company had shortly before sold the Venetian and its sister resort, the Palazzo, to Apollo Global Capital.

The plaintiffs claim physical, emotional, and financial damages as a result of the incident. The lawsuit says Marquez suffered severe cognitive decline as a result of the injuries, causing financial hardship as he struggled to keep up running his business. 

His wife also claims emotional damages, having witnessed the incident, and for the financial and emotional effect the injuries have had on their lives. 

Marquez “continues to suffer mentally and emotionally, haunted by the shock, fear, and humiliation of this senseless attack,” lawsuit filings read.

Venetian Las Vegas is also facing another recent lawsuit over physical and emotional damages from injuries at the resort. A 63-year-old California man claims a scorpion stung his testicles while asleep in bed at the casino’s hotel. He also claims extensive physical and emotional damage from the incident, and was joined as a plaintiff by his partner.