A Black pastor in Alabama who was arrested while watering his neighbour’s garden has filed a lawsuit against three officers who detained him.
Michael Jennings, 56, also named the city of Childersburg in the federal lawsuit that alleges the incident in May caused him post-traumatic stress and anxiety. The suit also alleged the officers’ actions and the city violated Mr Jenning’s constitutional rights protecting against unlawful arrest and guaranteeing free speech.
Speaking to The Independent on Monday, Mr Jennings’s attorney, Harry Daniels, said that the incident had left his client scarred and feeling uneasy around law enforcement. He said Mr Jennings has a great presence in the community as a pastor at Vision of Abundant Life Church in Sylacauga, a city 10 miles north of Childersburg.
Mr Jennings has requested a jury trial and is seeking unspecified damages. Body camera footage released in August showed officers confront Mr Jennings as he watered a lawn after a resident called 911 to report “suspicious” activity by a “younger Black male”.
“Whatcha doing here, man?” an officer identified later as Chris Smith asked as he walked up to Mr Jennings, who was hosing plants in the front yard of the property.
Mr Jennings identified himself as Pastor Jennings and explained to the officers that he was taking care of the property while his neighbour was out of town. He refused to provide identification to the officers and was arrested on a charge of obstructing a government operation.
His phone was also confiscated during the 20-minute confrontation.
According to Alabama law, officers can request a person’s name, address and an “explanation of his actions,” if there is reasonable suspicion they have committed or are about to commit an offence.
Mr Daniels told The Independent his client was under no obligation of giving his name to the law enforcement officers but did so regardless.
“Anytime that police come out, you have to identify yourself because there is a reasonable suspicion ...” one of the officers can be heard saying on video.
The neighbour who made the call told officers that she had made a mistake and Mr Jennings was friends with the owners of the house and he was likely watering their flowers as they were out of town.
Officers then spoke with Mr Jenning’s wife, who showed his ID, but told her it was too late and Mr Jenning’s could not be “unarrested.” Charges against the pastor were dismissed within days at the request of the police chief at the time.
During a press conference on Saturday, the president of the Alabama branch of NAACP, Benard Simelton, decried the officers’ actions.
“These poor judgment decisions reflect poorly on the type of training the Childersburg police officers receive … if they were acting in accordance within police guidelines,” Simelton said in a statement.
The suit names Officers Smith and Justin Gable, and Sergeant Jeremy Brooks.
Mr Jennings told the press conference held with the NAACP that he felt like he was being kidnapped during the arrest.
“He made me feel like I was a slave,” Mr Jennings said of the officer.
He said he wasn’t anti-police, but that they needed to be held accountable.
“There are bad police and there are good police,” he said. “What they did that day, they did with impunity.”
