Bufordsecurity 
The family of a man who was fatally assaulted in September in Short North is suing the accused perpetrators and the business they guarded the night of the assault.
Christian Foster, 32, and Dwayne Cummings, 39, have been charged with murder in connection with the death of 37-year-old Gregory Coleman Jr.
Attorneys Rex H. Elliott and Edward W. Hastie III, representing the Coleman family, filed the complaint Friday morning in the Franklin County Joint Court of Appeals.
The family is suing the owners of a group of Columbus bars, alleging they operated as one business and employed Foster and Cummings as security guards. Cantina, Granero Lounge, Callahan’s Bar and Rooftop.
more:Second wanted suspect in deadly soccer punch attack in Short North turns himself in
Raid outside Julep
Coleman died on September 18 from injuries sustained at approximately 2:30 am on September 5. Columbus Police say he was involved in an altercation with Foster while standing outside a Julep on the 1000th Street block. Another man, whom police identified as Cummings, punched Coleman.
A family complaint states: Julep’s grounds were unconscious and defenseless, and Cummings and Foster took turns slapping him in the face mercilessly.
“Not only did a Julep employee attack Coleman, but throughout the story, no Julep employee broke up a fight or attempted to help Coleman when he was dying,” the complaint states. says.
A graphic video of the assault, filmed by one of the bystanders, shows Coleman falling backwards and hitting his head on the sidewalk of North High Street after being punched in the face. He was in a coma and on a ventilator until his death at the Ohio State University James Cancer Center Hospital and Sorab Institute.
After the assault, another Julep security guard posted a video of the altercation on Facebook in a post tagged Cummings, according to the complaint. According to the complaint, the post urged people to come to Julep and said, “I will keep everyone safe until we have to defend ON SAUCE.” In the comments, the complaint alleges Cummings laughed about what he did to Coleman.
“Foster and Cummings believed that blinding Coleman and ruthlessly beating him was part of the corporate defendant’s job description,” the complaint reads.
The complaint alleges Julep has no control over the facility and has a “deplorable reputation.”
Julep’s neighbors voiced their concerns about the establishment at the Columbus City Council in December, and the city council voted against renewing Julep’s liquor license.
“Julep is just a bad neighbor,” Donald Halpern, who lives across the street, told the meeting.
more:Columbus City Council Opposes Renewal of Liquor License for Julep Bar
What the Coleman Family Wants
The lawsuit includes facility liability, accusing the company of hiring and hiring negligence, and general negligence. The family is also suing all defendants for wrongful death. The family is seeking more than $25,000 in damages, as well as punitive damages determined by the court.
At a news conference Friday morning, Elliott said the bars named in the complaint had “responsibility to manage security guards” and Coleman’s death because they failed to effectively train their employees. Stated.
Elliott said the designated Short North Bar has caused a “massive” noise and violence problem in the area. He said that in addition to financial compensation for taking care of Coleman’s daughter, the family wants to prevent something similar from happening in the future.
This story will be updated.
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