Madison County sheriffs face another lawsuit alleging excessive force (Hazel Green: 2015, crime)

[JuanHunt]

Joanna Atnip can sue two Madison County deputies for use of excessive force and failure to protect, but Sheriff Blake Dorning is immune on most counts.

Deputy Koch wrote in the report that the daughter said she had been staying with her mother for two weeks and then spent the weekend with her boyfriend. That made the mother "irate." The daughter said the mother refused to let her get items for her baby. Deputies tried the front door, but Atnip did not answer.

"Victim stated that she did not have a key but the Offender left the back door unlocked for her," reads the arrest report. "Deputies advised that since she lived at the residence she could go in and get her belongings."
The deputies escorted the daughter through the latched back gate. Atnip met them at the back porch.
The lawsuit claims deputies lacked any evidence of a crime and were trespassing in her backyard. The suit says Atnip told deputies her daughter could come back the next day to get her belongings. Both sides agree that deputies told the daughter to go get her stuff. The suit says Atnip held out her arms with her palm out to block the way and did not touch her daughter. The arrest report instead says Atnip "grabbed the Victim with both hands on her arm."
Atnip was charged with resisting arrest and third degree domestic violence - harassment. She was taken to jail. The charges were dismissed three months later after deputies twice failed to appear to testify.

Atnip was also involved in an incident on her front porch in which she tried to go back inside her home and deputies grabbed her.

This was not Atnip's first brush with Madison County law enforcement. Court records show Atnip pleaded guilty to misdemeanor assault in 2010 and received 18 months probation. That incident involved "striking and scratching" one deputy and "striking" another deputy "in the face."
That incident report from 2009 shows deputies had gone to her home to check on the welfare of a child. That time deputies wrote that Atnip tried to go back inside her house and they grabbed her on front porch and she began swinging her arms.

Avoiding deputies at all times seems to be the best advice.

Judge allows excessive force suit against two deputies in Madison County | AL.com

[Lamar Bowman]

Getting popcorn ready for this thread...

[weaverra]

In 2009 Joanna Atnip was arrest twice in 2009 within 24 hours of each other. She was arrested for a total of three times in 2009. I believe this woman is a nut bag and I would have a hard time believing anything she claims. She's already pleaded guilty to assaulting deputies once before. Let the lawsuit go through and let the evidence decide what actually happened.

[JuanHunt]

Originally Posted by weaverra

In 2009 Joanna Atnip was arrest twice in 2009 within 24 hours of each other. She was arrested for a total of three times in 2009. I believe this woman is a nut bag and I would have a hard time believing anything she claims. She's already pleaded guilty to assaulting deputies once before. Let the lawsuit go through and let the evidence decide what actually happened.

So what you're saying is that the deputies launched a vendetta against the woman. Interesting.

Weav seems to have access to all the super secret inside info, I wonder how many lawsuits against the sheriffs department are currently pending?

[weaverra]

Originally Posted by JuanHunt

So what you're saying is that the deputies launched a vendetta against the woman. Interesting.

Not what I said or implied. Just pointing out facts.

Originally Posted by JuanHunt

Weav seems to have access to all the super secret inside info, I wonder how many lawsuits against the sheriffs department are currently pending?

It's public information searchable through the Madison County jail website.

JAIL View

[Lamar Bowman]

And the show begins...

[JuanHunt]

Atnip in June sued Deputy Jake Church and Deputy Ryan Koch in federal court.
"We're going to find out about this Deputy Church," Morris told U.S. District Judge Madeline Hughes Haikala today.

"This wasn't his first picnic. You may have read about it in the paper."
Church was also named in the "revenge beatdown" suit filed in March on behalf of Robert Bryant, a Tennessee mechanic. Bryant identified Church as the one who pulled him over.


Madison County in July paid Bryant $625,000 to drop the suit.


The FBI is now investigating that case.

Maybe Weav can explain how this jumped to federal court rather than going through a state court.

The suit states that Atnip's daughter, Kathryn Atnip, had not lived at the house for two years, but she had left personal items there during a recent visit.
"Plaintiff repeated to Defendant Deputies that Kathryn Atnip did not live there and did not have her permission to enter the home on that day, but could return the following day."


"Faced with what was very clearly a civil matter, with no court order, no evidence of a dangerous situation, crime in progress, domestic violence, or an emergency, Defendant Deputies then instructed Kathryn Atnip to go through the Plaintiff and to enter the residence and get what she claimed were her belongings," reads the suit.

Hazel Green woman sues 'rogue deputies' for excessive force, same deputy also named in 'revenge beatdown' | AL.com

The ABI is investigating the murder of Bryants friend and outspoken sheriffs department critic, Jason Klonowski. Church almost beat a man to death over an a girl in a bar, could he kill someone that threatened his job?

Three months later, killing of critic of sheriff's department in Madison County remains a mystery | AL.com

[weaverra]

Originally Posted by JuanHunt

Maybe Weav can explain how this jumped to federal court rather than going through a state court.



Hazel Green woman sues 'rogue deputies' for excessive force, same deputy also named in 'revenge beatdown' | AL.com

The ABI is investigating the murder of Bryants friend and outspoken sheriffs department critic, Jason Klonowski. Church almost beat a man to death over an a girl in a bar, could he kill someone that threatened his job?

Three months later, killing of critic of sheriff's department in Madison County remains a mystery | AL.com

You don't sue for potential violations under federal law in state courts.


Or did Bryant kill Klonowski for some reason that could have been detrimental for his future lawsuit? The death threat that was supposedly made against Klonowski was on the same paper found in his own home. Why did Bryant settle instead of following through with the lawsuit?

[djmaxwell]

Originally Posted by weaverra

You don't sue for potential violations under federal law in state courts.


Or did Bryant kill Klonowski for some reason that could have been detrimental for his future lawsuit? The death threat that was supposedly made against Klonowski was on the same paper found in his own home. Why did Bryant settle instead of following through with the lawsuit?

Why take the bait?

[weaverra]

Originally Posted by Lamar Bowman

Getting popcorn ready for this thread...

That popcorn must be getting stale by now.