Jury awards mechanic $76,000 in Huntsville police false arrest case

A federal jury awarded $76,000 mechanic falsely arrested by Huntsville police after he refused to produce identification while fixing a client’s car in a church parking lot five years ago, his attorney said Friday.

Roland Edger was awarded $75,000 for pain and suffering on Wednesday and an additional $1,000 for pain and suffering after his 2019 arrest by Huntsville police officers Krista McCabe and Cameron Perilat, according to civil rights attorney Hank Sherrod, who represented the mechanic .

U.S. District Court Judge Lyles Burke ruled that McCabe and Perilat wrongfully arrested Edger and that a federal jury in Huntsville will decide whether to pay the mechanic damages. He also found the city of Huntsville liable because it is the officers’ employer.

“Roland is very excited to close this chapter in his life,” Sherrod said. “Roland never imagined it would take 5 years to get justice, but he is pleased with the judge’s decision and the jury’s verdict. Justice delayed is better than no justice. Roland hopes this verdict will lead to better police practices.”

This is stated in the statement of the police of Huntsville WAY that the department “respects the court’s decision and will implement additional training to ensure our practices are consistent with the court’s decision.”

According to federal court records, in June 2019, Edger received a call from a customer who told him his wife’s red Toyota Camry had broken down near the church where she worked in Huntsville.

Edger got there a day or two later, got the car key from the church office, inspected the car and concluded that the problem might be the steering wheel or the tire, and drove off.

He returned with his stepson later that evening, and a church security guard called 911 to report that “two Hispanic males were messing with an employee’s car that was left on the lot,” according to federal court records.

According to court records, Officer McCabe showed up about 30 minutes later.

AND 40-minute video The standoff and arrest, which was made public by a federal appeals court, began when Officer McCabe approached Edger as he was backing up a red Toyota Camry in the parking lot of the Progressive Union Missionary Baptist Church on the evening of June 10, 2019. the stepson was standing next to him.

McCabe began questioning Edger. Edger told McCabe that he was fixing a car for his client. McCabe then pointed to a black hatchback parked nearby and asked whose car it was. Edger replied that it was his.

That was followed by 30 seconds of silence as the officer watched Edger work on the car, the video showed.

“Good. Cut me a break real quick and do you all have your driver’s licenses or IDs on you?’ McCabe asked on video after a period of silence. By this time, a second officer, Perillat, had arrived at the parking lot, the judges noted.

“I am not going to submit any documents. Look, you call the woman right now. Look, I don’t have time for this. I don’t mean to be rude or mean, but . . ., said Edger, getting up from working on the car.

“Good. No, you need to give me your ID or your driver’s license,” Officer McCabe said in the video as Officer Perilat approached Edger from behind.

A body cam shows Edger running his hands through his hair in apparent frustration and saying: “Look, I don’t want you running after me, um, for no good reason.”

“You refuse to give me your ID or your driver’s license,” McCabe asked on the tape.

“I’m telling you, you call this woman on the phone…” Edger began to say before the footage showed Officer Perilat grab him from behind and push him against the car.

As Perrillat handcuffed him, Edger said twice that he would show them his ID.

“You’re under arrest,” McCabe said on the footage.

“For what?” – asked Edger.

“For obstruction,” McCabe replied.

“I didn’t do anything,” Edger said as the video showed McCabe holding him on the car.

“So if you continue to resist, you will also be charged with resisting arrest. Do you understand?” McCabe said on the tape.

“Look, I’ll give you my ID, I’ll tell you what’s going on, it’s funny, I’m trying to get a customer’s car here. I’m in a hurry My shop is now unlocked, said Edger.

Perillat eventually found the ID after searching Edger’s wallet. In the video, McCabe explained to Edger’s stepson that Edger was going to jail because he obstructed the investigation by refusing to give her his ID.

According to Sherrod, there were two problems with the arrest. First, officers must have reasonable suspicion before detaining a person, and McCabe saw nothing criminal to warrant the seizure of Edger. Second, even if the seizure had been lawful, under Alabama law, McCabe could not have lawfully demanded identification during the traffic stop.

A panel of federal appeals court judges ruled that Edger was not required to show any identification because Alabama identification documents “Stop and identify” statute. only allows an officer to stop a person in public and “demand from him the name, address and explanation of his actions” if there is reasonable suspicion that a crime has been committed.

Huntsville city officials charged Edger with “obstructing government operations” for refusing to provide identification, but later dropped the charges. Edger filed suit in federal court alleging a false arrest that violated his civil rights. A federal judge in Huntsville granted the officer qualified immunity and dismissed the lawsuit.

On appeal, federal appeals judges rejected the officers’ argument that they had probable cause to arrest Edger for refusing to produce physical identification and sent the case back to Burke’s courtroom.

Updated at 6:08 p.m. with comment from the Huntsville Police Department.