A pair of Parma, OH cops will face civil liability after they led a SWAT team raid to take down a Facebook page making fun of the Parma police.
Anthony Novak created and launched a parody Facebook page of the Parma police department. The site was live a total of 12 hours but the Parma police considered that it “crossed the line from satire to an actual risk to public safety.”
Novak was arrested and held in jail for four days awaiting bail and had the prospect of felony conviction and 18 months in prison hanging over his head for five more months.
A judge found the Parma police had used “misrepresentation” in an affidavit to obtain the search warrant they used to storm Novak’s residence and confiscate all his electronic devices.
A jury found Novak not guilty in 2018 and Novak responded by filing a civil suit against the cops who led the manhunt against him.
The cops, Kevin Riley and Thomas Connor, claimed “qualified immunity” for their actions to strip Novak of his Constitutional rights.
The judge dismissed the claim and will allow Novak’s suit to go ahead.
It’s good to see that at least in this case, the court’s do their job to protect citizens from rogue police.