DeWitt Co., IL. (ECWd) –
Terry Hoffman, DeWitt County Board Member, has filed a federal civil rights suit against DeWitt County Sheriff Jered Shofner, Deputies Monaghan, Hardwick, and Wilford, and DeWitt County Director of Emergency Services Teresa Bennett-Hall.
Hoffman had previously spent $24,021.50 defending himself of the misdemeanor charges and was found not guilty by a jury of his peers.
This suit alleges, among other things, that the Sheriff said that new county board members “have to learn how things work” when ordering Hoffman placed in a jail cell and kept overnight. The Sheriff was a supporter of the opposing parties in the election.
The Federal Claims are:
-Violation of the First Amendment for filing the frivolous “battery” charge and the subsequent arrest and detainment in a jail cell.
-Violation of the Fourth Amendment for the arrest and detainment without probable cause.
The State Claims are:
-False Arrest and Imprisonment
-Malicious Prosecution
Relief requested includes Compensatory damages of $750,000.00 and Punitive damages of $100,000.00 – for a total of a little over $850,000.00 plus attorney fees and costs.
Complaint obtain from PACER below:
[gview file=”https://edgarcountywatchdogs.com/wp-content/uploads/2015/03/3-15-cv-03026-SEM-TSH-COMPLAINT.pdf”]
