The U.S. Supreme Court will begin to hear arguments after an Atlanta woman sued the FBI for mistakenly raiding her home.
On Oct. 18, 2017, FBI agents raided the Atlanta home of Trina Martin, pointing guns at her and her then-boyfriend, Toi Cliatt, as her 7-year-old son screamed in another room. The agents were looking for a suspected gang member, but realized too late that they had raided the wrong residence. Martin remained separated from her child until they uncovered the mistake.
Although years ago, the incident has left the family traumatized. Now, they will re-attempt to seek justice from the U.S. government for the FBI’s negligence. According to Fox News, Martin’s attorney will go before the Supreme Court on April 29 to ask for the reinstatement of her 2019 lawsuit.
“We’ll never be the same, mentally, emotionally, psychologically,” she told The Associated Press on April 25 at the home that was raided. “Mentally, you can suppress it, but you can’t really get over it.”
The original legal filing accused the FBI agents of assault and battery, false arrest, and other violations of protocol. However, the lawsuit was dismissed in 2022 by a federal judge in Atlanta. Once the 11th U.S. Circuit of Appeals upheld the ruling in 2024, justice for Martin seemed nearly diminished.
However, Martin’s defense argued that Congress approved the legality of such lawsuits following a 1974 push against no-knock, warrantless raids. Moreover, the attorneys believed that blocking individuals’ ability to sue on these grounds would stifle any opportunities for justice.
“If the Federal Tort Claims Act provides a cause of action for anything, it’s a wrong-house raid like the one the FBI conducted here,” wrote Martin’s lawyers in a brief to the Supreme Court.
On the other hand, lawyers for the government have argued that courts should not second-guess the decisions of law enforcement. They emphasized how the FBI did advance work in their efforts to locate the correct house. The 11th Circuit agreed with this rationale, stating courts cannot question police officers for “honest mistakes” in such searches.
The FBI agent in charge of the raid explained that his GPS directed him to the wrong place. The actual homes were a few doors down.
However, Martin claims the incident has severely impacted her livelihood. Martin quit coaching track because the starting pistol reminded her of the flash-bang grenade used in the raid. As for Cliatt, he also quit his truck-driving job because of his sleep issues, detailing that he became a “liability” to his company. Martin’s son has since dealt with anxiety issues.
After leaving the home, the lead FBI agent returned to Martin’s residence to apologize and give the business contact of his supervisor. However, the family expressed that they receive no compensation for their distress or to cover the damage on their home.
The justices will have to determine under what circumstances people can sue the federal government to hold law enforcement accountable for their unjust actions. Martin’s lawyer, however, remains hopeful that the family will receive some compensation for their struggles.
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