A Florida woman has filed a lawsuit against the sheriff of a department that recently came under scrutiny for the fatal shooting of a Black Air Force senior airman. LaTanya Griffin alleges she was twice forced out of her home naked as deputies executed warrants. Seeking damages of more than $1 million, Griffin claims her Fourth Amendment rights, which protect against unreasonable searches and seizures, were violated during incidents on August 29, 2019, and May 28, 2020. Her attorney confirmed that Griffin was not the target of these warrants.

The lawsuit, filed in federal court on Monday evening, names Okaloosa County Sheriff Eric Aden and Grady Carpenter, a now-retired deputy present during both incidents, as defendants. Carpenter is accused of providing direction and oversight during the May 2020 incident, leading to Griffin’s “naked seizure.” Both Aden and Carpenter have not responded to requests for comment.

Griffin, 46, had previously sued the sheriff’s office in August last year regarding the 2019 incident. In that case, she claimed deputies used a battering ram to enter her home and ordered her at gunpoint to remain nude in front of officers, her 6-year-old daughter, and her 14-year-old son. The earlier lawsuit named Aden, Carpenter, and another deputy, Raphael Brown, who also did not immediately respond to a request for comment.

Lawyers for the sheriff’s office have defended the deputies' actions, stating they were consistent with “established, reasonable, and generally accepted police procedure.” They argued that the deputies acted in good faith within the scope of their employment. The first suit remains in the discovery phase, according to Griffin’s attorney, Kevin Anderson.

The latest lawsuit alleges the May 2020 incident was similar to the August 2019 encounter. It describes the execution of an arrest warrant before dawn at Griffin’s home, located in a modest residential community parallel to a busy public roadway. The suit contends Carpenter failed to exercise his supervisory authority to prevent the constitutional violation. Griffin’s children witnessed her naked detention for a significant period, with her hands zip-tied or handcuffed behind her back. Despite her objections, she remained unclothed in the presence of multiple officers until a tank top was placed over her head, partially covering her but not concealing her genitalia.

Anderson described the deputies' actions as “abhorrent,” stating they took no precautions to preserve Griffin’s dignity, humiliating her in front of her children and the public. He noted that Griffin has since moved from Okaloosa County to northern Florida due to the trauma.

The lawsuit outlines the extensive physical, emotional, and psychological harm Griffin suffered. She endured loss of liberty and freedom, physical discomfort, mental anguish, emotional distress, humiliation, and injury to her dignity and reputation. She is seeking unspecified damages for medical care, lost earnings, and relocation expenses.

The Okaloosa County Sheriff’s Office is already under scrutiny following the fatal shooting of Air Force Senior Airman Roger Fortson on May 3. Fortson was shot by a deputy after answering his door holding a gun pointed downward. The department also faced criticism earlier this year when video footage emerged of a deputy mistaking the sound of an acorn hitting his patrol vehicle for a gunshot. The deputy fired multiple times at his SUV, where a Black man was handcuffed in the back seat. The man was unharmed, and the deputy subsequently resigned.

“There are many instances where the Okaloosa County Sheriff’s Office has been scrutinized,” Anderson said. “It just takes a quick Google search to see cases of deadly force or indiscretions in the seizure of individuals within the community, often with supervisors failing to properly oversee their deputies.”

The recent legal actions and past incidents underscore ongoing concerns about the conduct and oversight of the Okaloosa County Sheriff’s Office. These cases highlight the critical need for accountability and reform within the department to ensure the protection of citizens' constitutional rights and the implementation of fair and just law enforcement practices.

Griffin’s claims against the sheriff’s office reflect a broader pattern of alleged misconduct and excessive force within the department. The fact that she was neither arrested nor charged following both incidents raises serious questions about the necessity and appropriateness of the deputies' actions. Furthermore, the psychological impact on Griffin and her children cannot be understated, with both incidents involving a clear breach of privacy and dignity.

The legal proceedings will likely scrutinize the training, policies, and supervision within the Okaloosa County Sheriff’s Office. The outcomes could have significant implications for the department's practices and accountability measures. Griffin’s case, coupled with the department’s other controversial incidents, underscores the urgent need for comprehensive reviews and potential reforms to restore public trust and ensure the protection of individual rights.

As this case unfolds, it serves as a crucial reminder of the importance of upholding constitutional protections and the responsibility of law enforcement agencies to act with integrity and respect for the communities they serve.