Michael Jennings, a black pastor from Alabama, was wrongly detained by three police officers while watering the plants at his neighbor’s house. 

The pastor has filed a federal lawsuit against the three police officers that arrested him. According to Jennings, this was an unconstitutional act by law enforcement officers and a violation of his fundamental civil rights.

Jennings has been a longstanding pastor at the Vision of Abundant Life Church in Sylacauga. He alleged that his arrest in Childersburg, Alabama, in May 2022, caused him ongoing emotional trauma and humiliation, coupled with PTSD, grief, stress, anxiety, anger, nightmares, and flashbacks. He asserts that the incident was damaging to his mental and emotional well-being, and he is demanding compensation for the mistreatment. 

The suit also lists the town of Childersburg as a defendant, as does the police department that arrested Jennings. The pastor is represented by Harry Daniels, a renowned civil rights attorney, and attorneys Roderick Van Daniels, Joi Travis, and Bethaney Embry Jones. They all conducted a press conference with the NAACP of Alabama on Saturday to discuss the suit and its motivations. Jennings stated that he is looking for ‘accountability and justice.’

Attorneys representing Jennings disclosed the police body cam footage of the arrest. Two police officers are seen pursuing Jennings, who is watering the plants outside a residence in Childersburg.

As Officer Christopher Smith, one of the three police officers mentioned in the suit, asks what Jennings is up to, he says he is watering flowers.

The police had come to the house because they received a call from one of the neighbors that a black male with a gold-colored SUV was at the house. The caller claimed that the man was not supposed to be there and seemed to be a stranger. 

Jennings informed the police officers that he was a friend of the homeowners, lived in the same neighborhood, and was entrusted with watering their plants while they were away.

The entire conversation is recorded on the camera footage and presented as part of the lawsuit’s evidence. Pastor Jennings did not have ID on him at the time, so he informed the officers that he could get it and show it to them. The inpatient police officers arrested him, and he was released after paying $500 bail money. 

The charges were dropped on June 1st, and the victim’s legal team has stated that the pastor is not looking for revenge but instead wants to call attention to the officers’ behavior. Pastor Jennings stated in his press conference that he is not anti-police and believes the police are essential for the well-being of society. However, there are good police and bad police. “What they did that day, they did it with impunity,” he said. 

Harry Daniels, one of the Atlanta attorneys representing the pastor, said in a statement. “This was not only an unlawful arrest. It’s kidnapping.”

Rallies and protests are being planned across Birmingham by the citizens to express their support for Pastor Jennings.