SALEM -- Several members of the Penns Grove Police Department, including its chief, are being sued in state Superior Court here for an incident of alleged excessive force and mistreatment that occurred more than two years ago.

According to a lawsuit filed late last month, a woman, man, juvenile and their mother were allegedly assaulted by several officers on the front porch of their home on Broad Street just after 1 a.m. on Aug. 26, 2007.None were ever found guilty of a crime stemming from that night, the lawsuit maintains.

Listed in the suit are officers Joseph DiCarolis, Allan Moore, John Boucher, Sgt. Charles Brown, Sgt. John Stranahan and Chief Gary Doubledee, as well as unknown police also on the scene but not recognized.

It was filed by New Brunswick attorney Martin Perez on behalf of matriarch Margarita Rodriguez and her children Ricardo Gonzalez, Jocelyn Mercado and Eduardo Rodriguez, a minor.

The lawsuit details that Gonzalez was told to stop by police but walked into his house. When Gonzalez is ordered outside, he again refuses and a Margarita Rodriguez encourages him to step outside, the suit claims.

As she is doing so, "both Rodriguez and Gonzalez are maced by defendant Moore who had arrived on the scene," according to the suit.

DiCarolis then allegedly slams Gonzalez to the porch and puts his knee in his throat so he cannot breath. Multiple officers arrive and begin kneeing and kicking him in the head and body while he is on the ground, the lawsuit alleges.

Mercado then comes from inside, at which point she is allegedly grabbed by her T-shirt, punched in the face, slammed over a railing and dragged down the porch stairs, the lawsuit reads.

When the juvenile came onto the porch from inside, he was allegedly punched so hard in the nose he fell flat on his face, according to the suit.

"All defendants were unlawfully detained, seized, arrested, removed from their home and taken to the Penns Grove Police Department for booking," according to Perez. "All defendants were held for several hours ... handcuffed to a bench."

Perez alleges that medical attention was not provided and Gonzalez was held in jail for several days until he was able to post bail.

A trial by jury is demanded in the case.

Borough solicitor Adam Telsey could not be reached for comment Friday. A phone call seeking comment from Doubledee and Stranahan was not returned Friday.

Compensatory and punitive damages of an unspecified amount are being sought along with statutory penalties and other fees on the grounds of civil right violations, negligence, assault and battery, malicious prosecution and a host of other charges.

Indictments were brought by police against Ricardo Rodriguez and Mercado.

According to the lawsuit, all charges were dismissed.