Thomas v. City of Clanton.

• Position: Unconstitutional strip search - Brief Article

U.S. District Court

FAILURE TO TRAIN

Thomas v. City of Clanton, 285 F.Supp.2d 1275 (M.D.Ala. 2003). A detainee brought a [section] 1983 action alleging that he was subjected to an unconstitutional strip search, and that he had been subjected to sexual harassment while confined. The district court granted summary judgment in favor of the defendants. The court held that the strip search violated the detainee's Fourth Amendment rights, but that officials were not liable for the unwarranted strip search conducted by an officer. The court also held that a single complaint of sexual misconduct against an officer did not put the police department on notice of the need for increased supervision of the officer. The detainee was a passenger in a car in which marijuana was found, but the driver's wife had told the arresting officer that the marijuana belonged to the driver. There was no reasonable suspicion that the detainee was...