In a unanimous rebuke of government overreach, the United States Supreme Court revived a lawsuit against the FBI for mistakenly raiding an innocent family’s home in 2017.
The decision paves the way for accountability after armed federal agents stormed the wrong house, terrorizing a family with flash-bang grenades and drawn weapons.
The case stems from an October 2017 FBI raid in suburban Atlanta when agents mistakenly targeted the home of Hilliard Toi Cliatt and Curtrina Martin instead of a nearby gang hideout.
During the raid, FBI agents burst into the home with guns drawn, deployed flash-bang grenades, handcuffed Cliatt, and prevented Martin from moving while her young son watched in terror.
Only after one agent discovered a piece of mail indicating they were at the wrong address did the agents realize their catastrophic error.
By then, the damage was done to the family’s property and sense of security.
Despite this clear violation of their rights, the family has yet to receive any compensation nearly eight years after the incident.
In writing for the Court, Justice Neil Gorsuch detailed the agents’ shocking negligence, noting they “failed to verify the street sign, house number, and the car in the driveway before the raid.”
The Department of Justice later admitted that an FBI agent had relied on a faulty GPS device that led them to the wrong location – a flimsy excuse for such a traumatic government intrusion into an innocent family’s home.
The family filed their lawsuit under the Federal Tort Claims Act (FTCA), which allows citizens to sue the federal government in certain circumstances.
The 11th Circuit Court of Appeals had previously ruled in favor of the government, citing the “discretionary-function exception,” essentially claiming that law enforcement decisions, even catastrophically wrong ones, are protected from liability.
The Supreme Court firmly rejected this interpretation, sending a clear message that federal agencies cannot hide behind legal technicalities when they violate Americans’ constitutional rights.
The case will now return to the 11th Circuit Court of Appeals, where the family will finally have another chance at justice.
Moreover, this case highlights a disturbing pattern of law enforcement raiding the wrong homes, often with devastating consequences for innocent Americans.
The Institute for Justice, representing the family, emphasized that federal officers should not have “discretion” to raid the wrong house.
This common-sense position underscores that no American should face armed government agents storming their home without proper verification and accountability.
While the Court’s decision does not guarantee the family will ultimately prevail, it represents a significant victory for all Americans concerned about unchecked government power.
As federal agencies increasingly insert themselves into citizens’ lives, this ruling affirms that the Constitution still protects Americans from government overreach, incompetence, and abuse of power.
