A Georgia family's legal battle against the FBI stems from a pre-dawn SWAT raid that shattered their peaceful morning in 2017.
According to The Hill, the Supreme Court announced Monday it will examine whether the FBI can claim immunity in a lawsuit filed by an Atlanta family whose home was mistakenly raided by federal agents who were targeting a different address.
The incident involved Hilliard Cliatt, his partner Curtrina Martin, and Martin's 7-year-old son, who endured a terrifying experience when armed FBI agents in tactical gear stormed their home, deploying flash-bang devices and holding family members at gunpoint.
The agents quickly realized their mistake – they had raided the wrong house, with the actual target being three houses away.
FBI Special Agent Lawrence Guerra, who commanded the operation, demonstrated immediate accountability by returning to apologize to the family later that day. He provided his business card and promised to cover the damages caused during the raid.
The agents had vacated the premises within five minutes of realizing their error and proceeded to arrest their intended target, an alleged gang member, at the correct address down the street.
The family pursued legal action against the FBI under the Federal Tort Claims Act, which enables citizens to seek compensation when federal employees commit wrongful acts. However, their path to justice hit a roadblock when lower courts determined the FBI had immunity from the lawsuit. The Supreme Court's decision to hear the case arrives at a crucial time, with an expedited briefing schedule allowing for a potential ruling by early summer.
The Institute for Justice, a nonprofit libertarian law firm representing the family, presented compelling arguments before the Supreme Court. The attorneys emphasized the clear-cut nature of the case, pointing out the undisputed facts of the FBI's mistake.
The case has drawn attention from both sides of the political aisle, with seven members of Congress filing a supporting brief. This bipartisan group includes Senators Rand Paul, Ron Wyden, and Cynthia Lummis, alongside Representatives Harriet Hageman, Nikema Williams, Thomas Massie, and Dan Bishop.
The family's legal team highlighted a concerning disparity in how similar cases are treated across different jurisdictions. According to their petition, the attorneys stated:
Today, victims of wrong-home raids by federal officers in Collinsville, Illinois, may sue under the FTCA, but victims of an identical raid in Collinsville, Georgia, could not. That asymmetry is untenable and contravenes Congress's deliberate decision 50 years ago to accept responsibility and provide redress to those harmed by federal law-enforcement officers' misdeeds.
The Justice Department has opposed the Supreme Court's involvement, maintaining that the lower court's decision was appropriate and did not conflict with other federal appeals court rulings. This stance sets the stage for a potentially landmark decision that could reshape how federal law enforcement agencies are held accountable for their actions.
An Atlanta family's harrowing experience with an FBI SWAT team's mistaken raid in 2017 has evolved into a pivotal Supreme Court case. The incident, involving Hilliard Cliatt, Curtrina Martin, and her young son, occurred when FBI agents erroneously raided their home while searching for a gang member three houses away.
The Supreme Court's decision to review the case will determine whether federal agents can claim immunity in situations involving wrongful raids, with potentially far-reaching implications for law enforcement accountability across the United States. A ruling is expected by early summer, following an expedited briefing schedule set by the high court.
