Laninya Cason
EAST ST. LOUIS, ILLINOIS - A federal judge has ruled an insurance company doesn't owe any coverage to the owners of an East St. Louis club should they continue to face a lawsuit lodged by the family of a man who was gunned down by one of the club's contracted security guards two years ago.
On July 7, U.S. District Judge David Dugan ruled in favor of Nautilus Insurance Company in its dispute in the Southern District of Illinois court with the corporate entity known as CSN Entertainment LLC.
According to Illinois corporation records maintained by the Illinois Secretary of State, CSN Entertainment is located at 933-935 St. Louis Avenue in East St. Louis.
Those addresses are associated with two establishments, publicly known as Dream Restaurant and Vision Ultra Bar.
According to state records, the registered agent for CSN Entertainment is Laninya Cason, identified in court records as CSN's attorney.
State records also identify DiMario Cason as CSN's manager. DiMario Cason is also identified by the city of East St. Louis as its director of regulatory affairs.
The court action centered on the death of Dayman Warren on Oct. 1, 2023, allegedly at the hands of Terrell Armeson, a previously convicted felon who was among a group hired by CSN through another company, identified as Beast Mode LLC, of St. Louis, to provide security services at a "grand opening" event at the CSN location in East St. Louis on that date.
According to pubished reports, a fight allegedly may have broken out between people attending the event and the security guards.
Around 1:30 a.m., according to court documents, Armeson allegedly "took a knee" and fired two shots at Waren and others, striking and ultimately killing Warren.
Armeson has been charged with first degree murder and remains detained in the St. Clair County Jail, pending trial. According to online court records, that trial could begin later this summer.
In the meantime, Warren's family filed suit last fall in St. Clair County Circuit Court against CSN and Beast Mode, asserting they should be made to pay for allegedly negligently hiring Armeson, who they asserted was a "convicted felon and sex offender."
Terrell Armeson
That action was filed on behalf of named plaintiff Shayala McDowell, identified as administrator of Warren's estate. McDowell is also identified in court records as Shayla McDowell.
The lawsuit was filed by attorneys Ted N. Gianaris and Joshua A. Edelson, of Alton.
According to St. Clair County court records, that lawsuit was dismissed by St. Clair County Judge Kevin T. Hoerner. According to the court docket, the dismissal was for want of prosecution.
The plaintiffs could yet petition the court to reconsider and revive their lawsuit. As of July 11, the court docket reflected no further activity related to the case.
Should the litigation proceed, Judge Dugan in federal court said CSN cannot rely on any support from Nautilus Insurance.
Nautilus had filed suit in 2024 in the U.S. District Court for the Southern District of Illinois asking for a ruling declaring it had no duty to cover CSN against Warren’s family’s lawsuit.
In that ruling, Dugan agreed exclusions in the policy held by CSN excusing coverage for incidents resulting in "'bodily injury' arising out of the use of any 'weapon' or any ammunition or firearm accessory for any 'weapon,'” whether the weapon was wielded by anyone associated with the club or hired or contracted by CSN through another company.
Dugan ruled Nautilus held no duty to defend or indemnify CSN against the lawsuit pertaining to Warren's death.
Also in the ruling, Dugan agreed to purge Laninya Cason of civil contempt in the proceedings, even though Cason never responded to Nautilus' motion and did not properly enter her appearance on behalf of CSN, despite an order from Dugan to do so.
Dugan said he remained "perplexed" by Cason's behavior in the case, yet lifted the contempt orders against Cason and declined to force her to pay any financial sanctions "in the interest of concluding this matter."