Dothan, Ala.(WDNews) – A federal judge has officially dismissed a lawsuit against two Dothan police officers accused of unlawfully detaining a First Amendment auditor, a decision that could influence similar cases in the future.
The lawsuit was filed in 2021 by George Metz II, who claimed Officers D. Bridges and J. Dodson violated his rights when they detained him in handcuffs. Metz had been recording video inside the lobby of the Department of Human Resources (DHR) in Dothan when a security officer ordered him to stop. When he refused, DHR employees contacted the police.
Officers arrived and placed Metz in handcuffs for nearly 30 minutes before releasing him without charges. Metz later sued, and a federal district court initially ruled that the officers could be held personally responsible for their actions.
However, in December, the 11th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals overturned that decision, ruling in favor of the officers and the city of Dothan, which was also named in the suit. That ruling was finalized this week, officially closing the case.
