I Was Pepper Sprayed By Mgm Grand Security While Sick And Incapacitated In The Women’s Bathroom — What Are My Rights?

Location: Las Vegas MGM Grand Hotel & Casino

I was visiting Vegas to celebrate my birthday and ended up at Hakkasan nightclub in the MGM Grand. I was very intoxicated, sick, and went into the women’s bathroom before entering the club. My boyfriend called from the hall to ask if I was okay and if I needed help and I said yes. Before entering the bathroom, he asked a cleaning lady if it was okay that he came in and she said yes. He came in to give me water and was helping clean me up (I had been vomiting, crying, and couldn’t stand). A male security guard appeared 5 minutes later and yelled at him to leave. My boyfriend tried calmly explaining the situation and that he was helping me, but the guard began banging on the stall door and was acting aggressively. Afraid that the situation would escalate, my boyfriend opened the stall door and told the security guard he would leave, stating that he was going to get our female friends to come help me. I stayed in the stall alone, unable to move.

Then, for no reason, the guard sprayed me in the face with pepper spray through the stall door, dragged me out, and handcuffed me while I was crying and unable to breathe or move. I didn’t resist or fight—I couldn’t. I was fully incapacitated. 4-5 additional guards came in and dragged me out, moving me in a wheelchair because I was too drunk to walk. They held me for over an hour, covered in vomit and pepper spray, and only released me when the Las Vegas police arrived and saw there was no reason to arrest me.

The next day I went to the police to file a report, but they told me I couldn’t because I had “agreed” to what the guards claimed happened (that I attacked him), even though I only said that under fear and confusion to get released and was completely incapacitated.

I’ve plan to write a formal statement ASAP and submit a complaint to MGM, but I’m still in shock over what happened. I feel violated, humiliated, and helpless.

Has anyone experienced something similar at MGM or elsewhere on the Strip? What legal actions can I take now—even if I didn’t go to the doctor right away? What else can I do to hold them accountable?