SCOTUS rules on lawsuit from Atlanta family whose home was wrongly raided by the FBI
Channel 2 investigative reporter Ashli Lincoln has been following Trina Martin's fight against the federal government for years.
[DOWNLOAD: Free WSB-TV News app for alerts as news breaks]
In October 2017, FBI agents came into Trina Martin's Atlanta home, pointing guns at her and her then-boyfriend while her then-7-year-old son watched in another room.
Within a few minutes, agents realized they had the wrong home and left Martin's house. The agent who led the raid said his personal GPS led him to the wrong place while they looked for a suspected gang member a few houses away.
It wasn't until an agent double-checked the mailbox numbers that the FBI realized it was the wrong home.
The family filed a lawsuit in 2019 that was dismissed by a federal judge. The family's lawyers appealed to the US Supreme Court, which heard the case in April.
On Thursday, the US Supreme Court ruled that the Eleventh Circuit of Appeals should take another look at the lawsuit.
This is a developing story. Stay with Channel 2 Action News for the latest.
SCOTUS Ruling by WSB-TV on Scribd
RELATED STORIES
SCOTUS hearing case of Atlanta family whose home was mistakenly raided by the FBI
Georgia family hopes Supreme Court hears their case after FBI mistakenly raided their house
The FBI mistakenly raided their Atlanta home. Now the Supreme Court will hear their lawsuit
[SIGN UP: WSB-TV Daily Headlines Newsletter]

Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles


UPI
13 minutes ago
- UPI
FBI's Boston office warns New Englanders of rising phone scams
The Boston Division of the Federal Bureau of Investigation (main HQ pictured in February in Washington, D.C.) said last year over 17,300 Americans were scam victims victims that saw criminals impersonate government or other law enforcement agencies with financial losses totaling more than $405 million. File Photo by Bonnie Cash/UPI | License Photo July 29 (UPI) -- FBI officials in New England on Tuesday issued a public warning over an uptick in scam phone calls purporting to be law enforcement in a bid to steal money or other personal info. The Boston Division of the Federal Bureau of Investigation said last year over 17,300 Americans reported as scam victims that saw criminals impersonate government or other law enforcement agencies. Such scams resulted in financial losses totaling more than $405 million. "We've seen an increase in these scams, which is why we're reminding the public to resist the urge to act immediately and verify who is actually contacting you," Ted E. Docks, special agent in charge at the FBI's Boston Division, said in a statement. Boston's FBI division says scams impersonating the FBI and other government agencies are "a persistent problem" that can also occur via email. "Be advised, law enforcement and federal agencies do not call individuals threatening arrest or demanding money," according to federal officials. They added that scammers can "spoof" caller ID information to make it appear a call is arriving from a legitimate phone number. Docks said that fraudsters currently are "capitalizing on fear and intimidation" because, he pointed out, "nobody wants to be the subject of a law enforcement investigation." His office warned possible victims that if a person thinks they are a victim of a scam or suffered a financial loss to "cease all contact with the scammers immediately, notify your financial institutions and safeguard any financial accounts." According to the bureau, scammer tactics change continually but often share similar characteristics, such as intimidation, using an urgent tone, crypto-related payments, suggesting secrecy or using a supposed emergency situation as leverage. On Tuesday, the FBI's Internet Crime Complaint Center said 778 New Englanders from Maine, Massachusetts, New Hampshire to Rhode Island had reported scams with nearly $13 million in reported financial loses for victims. In Massachusetts, at least 507 residents collectively lost more than $9.5 million compared to Rhode Island's 67 victims who lost about $147,880. The FBI said it will never call or email to demand payment, threaten arrest, ask anything related to money or request sensitive personal data. It further suggested to keep all relevant documentation. "Do not send money to anybody you do not personally know and trust," FBI officials stated. "Never give out your personal information, including your Social Security number, over the phone or to individuals you do not know," they added. Last year in November the U.S. Customs and Border Protection agency raised the alarm over scams that saw fraudsters claim to be federal CBP employees demanding money or other items from FBI advisement came on the heels of April's revelation of a "steady" uptick in the New England region of fraud relating to quit claim deeds. But the federal government says even if there was no financial loss, "all types of fraud schemes and scams" should warrant a report to the Internet crime division for analysis or referral to aid the public fight against scammers. Meanwhile, Boston's FBI division advised the public to contact its office at 857-386-2000 if a person is seeking to confirm contact by an actual federal employee, or file an Internet crime report.
Yahoo
40 minutes ago
- Yahoo
Police release picture of man wanted for questioning in investigation into Devil's Den park killings
Arkansas Hikers Killed LITTLE ROCK, Ark. (AP) — Arkansas police released a photo Tuesday of a man wanted for questioning in the investigation into the weekend killing of a married couple in front of their children at Devil's Den State Park. The image released by state police doesn't show the man's face, and comes a day after police released a composite sketch of a person of interest. Details about the attack, including how the couple was killed or a motive for the killing, remained scarce. Police say killer likely injured during attack Clinton David Brink, 43, and Cristen Amanda Brink, 41, were found dead on a walking trail Saturday at Devil's Den, 2,500-acre state park in northwest Arkansas. Their daughters, who are 7 and 9, were not hurt and are being cared for by family members, authorities have said. Police have not said how the couple were killed, but said Monday night the killer likely was injured during the attack. Authorities have asked the public to report tips and urged trailgoers who were at Devil's Den on Saturday to look through their photos and videos for possible images of the suspect. State police said they have received 'numerous calls' but have released few details about the investigation, including whether they believe the killer is still in the area. The FBI said Monday its Little Rock field office is assisting with the investigation. Police release photo and composite sketch Police have not identified the killer, but have provided a description, the composite sketch and the photo of a person of interest. The photo was provided by a witness who was at Devil's Den State Park Saturday, police said. The photo was taken from behind and does not show the person of interest's face. Officials described the suspect as a white male wearing dark shorts, a dark ball cap, sunglasses and fingerless gloves. He was seen driving toward a park exit in a black, four-door sedan with a license plate partly covered by tape. The car, possibly a Mazda, may have been traveling on nearby State Highway 170 or State Highway 220. Victims had just moved to Arkansas Clinton and Cristen Brink had just moved from South Dakota to the small city of Prairie Grove in northwest Arkansas. Their water had been connected less than two weeks ago, Mayor David Faulk said. Clinton Brink had been scheduled to start a job as a milk delivery driver Monday in the nearby Fayetteville area, according to Hiland Dairy, his employer. Cristen Brink had been licensed as a nurse in Montana and South Dakota before moving to Arkansas. 'Clinton and Cristen died heroes protecting their little girls, and they deserve justice,' the Brink family said in a statement. "They will forever live in all of our hearts.' Police ask public for photos from park day of attack Devil's Den is located near West Fork, about 140 miles (220 kilometers) northwest of Little Rock, the state capital. In addition to images from the park the day of the attack, police are asking local residents to review any security or game camera footage for unusual activity or images matching the vehicle. Devil's Den is known for its hiking trails and rock formations, and is a short drive from the University of Arkansas in Fayetteville and Walmart's Bentonville headquarters. Trails remained closed at the park on Tuesday. Rangers stepped up patrols at the park following the attack. Solve the daily Crossword


San Francisco Chronicle
an hour ago
- San Francisco Chronicle
Police release picture of man wanted for questioning in investigation into Devil's Den park killings
LITTLE ROCK, Ark. (AP) — Arkansas police released a photo Tuesday of a man wanted for questioning in the investigation into the weekend killing of a married couple in front of their children at Devil's Den State Park. The image released by state police doesn't show the man's face, and comes a day after police released a composite sketch of a person of interest. Details about the attack, including how the couple was killed or a motive for the killing, remained scarce. Police say killer likely injured during attack Clinton David Brink, 43, and Cristen Amanda Brink, 41, were found dead on a walking trail Saturday at Devil's Den, 2,500-acre state park in northwest Arkansas. Their daughters, who are 7 and 9, were not hurt and are being cared for by family members, authorities have said. Police have not said how the couple were killed, but said Monday night the killer likely was injured during the attack. Authorities have asked the public to report tips and urged trailgoers who were at Devil's Den on Saturday to look through their photos and videos for possible images of the suspect. State police said they have received 'numerous calls' but have released few details about the investigation, including whether they believe the killer is still in the area. The FBI said Monday its Little Rock field office is assisting with the investigation. Police have not identified the killer, but have provided a description, the composite sketch and the photo of a person of interest. The photo was provided by a witness who was at Devil's Den State Park Saturday, police said. The photo was taken from behind and does not show the person of interest's face. Officials described the suspect as a white male wearing dark shorts, a dark ball cap, sunglasses and fingerless gloves. He was seen driving toward a park exit in a black, four-door sedan with a license plate partly covered by tape. The car, possibly a Mazda, may have been traveling on nearby State Highway 170 or State Highway 220. Victims had just moved to Arkansas Clinton and Cristen Brink had just moved from South Dakota to the small city of Prairie Grove in northwest Arkansas. Their water had been connected less than two weeks ago, Mayor David Faulk said. Clinton Brink had been scheduled to start a job as a milk delivery driver Monday in the nearby Fayetteville area, according to Hiland Dairy, his employer. Cristen Brink had been licensed as a nurse in Montana and South Dakota before moving to Arkansas. 'Clinton and Cristen died heroes protecting their little girls, and they deserve justice,' the Brink family said in a statement. "They will forever live in all of our hearts.' Police ask public for photos from park day of attack Devil's Den is located near West Fork, about 140 miles (220 kilometers) northwest of Little Rock, the state capital. In addition to images from the park the day of the attack, police are asking local residents to review any security or game camera footage for unusual activity or images matching the vehicle. Devil's Den is known for its hiking trails and rock formations, and is a short drive from the University of Arkansas in Fayetteville and Walmart's Bentonville headquarters. Trails remained closed at the park on Tuesday. Rangers stepped up patrols at the park following the attack.