Alabama Pastor’s Lawsuit Revived After Wrongful Arrest While Watering Neighbor's Flowers

Alabama Pastor’s Lawsuit Over Arrest Revived by Federal Court

A federal court has allowed an Alabama pastor, Michael Jennings, to continue with his lawsuit against the City of Childersburg and three police officers. This comes after a lower court had dismissed his case.

Jennings, who is the pastor at Vision of Abundant Life Ministries in Sylacauga, was arrested in 2022 while watering his neighbor's flowers. The lawsuit claims that the officers violated his constitutional rights by wrongfully arresting him and restricting his free speech.

The arrest happened after a neighbor called 911, reporting that a "younger Black male" and a gold SUV were at a house. Jennings was actually helping his friends, who had asked him to watch their home while they were away.

When the officers arrived, Jennings told them he was a pastor but refused to show ID. After a heated 20-minute conversation, the police arrested him for obstructing government operations.

In September 2022, Jennings filed a lawsuit, saying the arrest caused him emotional distress and anxiety. However, a judge initially dismissed the case in December 2023, saying the officers had immunity and couldn’t be held legally responsible.

Recently, the federal appeals court decided that the officers didn’t have a good enough reason to arrest Jennings. The court reversed the earlier dismissal, allowing Jennings to move forward with his case.

Jennings' lawyer, Harry Daniels, called the decision a victory for justice. He noted that the video of the arrest clearly showed that Jennings had identified himself, and the officers had no reason to arrest him so quickly.