Edger V. Mccabe Et Al

Case Background

On December 28, 2023, Roland Edger filed a civil rights lawsuit against Officers Cameron Perillat and Krista McCabe, alleging they falsely arrested him for refusing to provide identification while he was working on his car. The false arrest lawsuit was filed in the United States District Court, Alabama Northern (Northeastern). Judge Liles C. Burke presided over the case. [Case number: 5:19cv1977]

Cause

Roland Edger, a U.S. citizen, lived in Huntsville, Alabama. At all relevant times, Krista McCabe and Cameron Perillat worked as Huntsville police officers and resided in Alabama. The City of Huntsville operated as an Alabama municipality. The lawsuit named McCabe and Perillat in their individual capacities.

On June 10, 2019, Edger, an Auto Collision employee for nearly 30 years, received a call from Kajal Ghosh, who asked him to change a flat tire on his wife’s car. Ghosh instructed Edger to retrieve the key from the front desk at Progressive Union Baptist Church in Huntsville. Around 2:00 p.m., Edger picked up an envelope labeled with his name, containing the key. After inspecting the car, he realized he needed additional tools. He left the key in his possession, locked the car, and departed.

At 7:45 p.m., Edger returned with Justin Nuby, who drove him so he could later transport the car to the shop. As Edger worked, Nuby alerted him that a security vehicle had arrived. The vehicle was actually a Huntsville police cruiser. While facing the car, Edger heard a female voice ask what he was doing. Without turning around, he replied that he was changing a flat tire. The officer, later identified as McCabe, asked if the car belonged to him. Edger explained that it belonged to a church employee and that her husband had called him for assistance.

As Edger continued working, the car slipped off the jack, injuring his hand and damaging the suspension. McCabe then ordered him to stand up and provide identification. By then, Perillat had joined her. When Edger hesitated, explaining that he had done nothing wrong, McCabe threatened arrest. He suggested they contact the vehicle’s owner, but the officers handcuffed him before he could comply. Once restrained, he agreed to provide his ID.

McCabe and Perillat arrested Edger. When he asked why, McCabe responded that he had failed to produce identification. Edger insisted he had not committed a crime and did not have his ID with him. McCabe searched Nuby’s car, found Edger’s wallet, and retrieved his ID. She then checked his information and the vehicle’s registration. When Edger saw the car owner’s name on her monitor, he reiterated that the owner’s husband had called him for help. Dispatch confirmed Edger had no warrants. He then offered to unlock his phone so McCabe could verify his story by calling Ghosh. After following his instructions and confirming the details, McCabe still took Edger to jail, charging him with obstructing government operations.

Alabama law did not require Edger to present ID since he was not driving, remained on private property, and had not been suspected of a crime. Even if officers had reasonable suspicion, he only needed to provide his name and explain his actions, which he had already done. The city attorney dismissed the charge, and Edger was found not guilty on October 14, 2019.

Damages

Roland Edger sought the following relief:

  • Compensation for damages, as determined by a jury based on the evidence presented.
  • Punitive damages against the individual defendants, as determined by a jury.
  • Prejudgment and post-judgment interest at the highest legal rates.
  • Coverage of litigation costs, including attorney’s fees and expert witness fees.
  • Any additional relief the court deems just and appropriate.

Key Arguments and Proceedings

Legal Representation

  • Plaintiff(s): Roland Edger
    • Counsel for Plaintiff(s): Henry F Sherrod, III
  • Defendant(s): Krista McCabe | Cameron Perillat | The City of Huntsville, Alabama
    • Counsel for Defendant(s): C Gregory Burgess | Stephanie Margaret Hall | L Franklin Corley, IV

Key Arguments and Remarks by Counsel

Edger’s attorney, Henry Sherrod, pointed out two key issues with the incident. First, officers must have reasonable suspicion before detaining someone, and McCabe saw no criminal activity to justify seizing Edger. Second, even if the seizure had been legal, Alabama law does not permit McCabe to demand identification during a non-traffic stop.

“Normally an officer would come up and say ‘Hey we got a call, why are you here working on this car?’ and then they could have had a normal discussion,” Sherrod said. “I knew that demanding ID was not legal. He was just working in a church parking lot, trying to help out an old customer of his.”

Claims

Illegal Seizure and False Arrest

On June 10, 2019, Officers Krista McCabe and Cameron Perillat arrested Roland Edger without probable cause. Acting under their authority as police officers, they violated Edger’s constitutional right to be free from unlawful seizure under the Fourth and Fourteenth Amendments. Their actions deprived him of his legal protections and subjected him to an unjustified arrest.

McCabe and Perillat either acted with malice or showed reckless disregard for Edger’s constitutional rights. Their conduct resulted in significant harm, including emotional distress and financial burdens. As a direct consequence, Edger incurred legal expenses, including attorney’s fees and court-related costs.

False Arrest and False Imprisonment Under State Law

On the same day, McCabe and Perillat unlawfully detained Edger without legal justification. Their actions were either negligent, reckless, malicious, or in bad faith. By arresting him without cause, they violated his right to personal freedom and subjected him to unnecessary detention.

Due to their misconduct, Edger suffered emotional distress and financial losses. He also faced legal expenses, including attorney’s fees and litigation costs. If McCabe and Perillat’s actions resulted from negligence, the City of Huntsville bears responsibility for their conduct.

The Court initially granted the officers qualified immunity. However, the Eleventh Circuit Court of Appeals reversed that decision, ruling that they had violated Plaintiff’s clearly established Fourth Amendment rights.

Defense

Both Defendants denied the allegations and asserted affirmative defenses in their individual answers to the Plaintiff’s complaint.

During the trial, the Court granted Plaintiff’s motion for judgment as a matter of law and denied the Defendants’ motion for the same relief.

Jury Verdict

The case proceeded to a jury trial solely to determine damages against the officers. On October 23, 2024, the jury ruled in the Plaintiff’s favor and awarded:

  • Compensatory Damages:

    • $75,000 against McCabe
    • $75,000 against Perillat

  • Punitive Damages:

    • $1,000 against McCabe
    • $1,000 against Perillat

The jury awarded Plaintiff a total of $152,000.

Court Documents:

Documents are available for purchase upon request at jurimatic@exlitem.com

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