American Bar Association Journal: Civil RIghts Lawyer Leader Helded At Gunpoint By Prince George's County SWAT Team

Civil Rights Leader Arnwine Says Police Held Her at Gunpoint, Raided Home Without Showing Warrant

Posted Nov 29, 2011 6:00 AM CST
By Debra Cassens Weiss


Updated: The executive director for the Lawyers’ Committee for Civil Rights Under Law says a Prince George’s County SWAT team raided her home three days before Thanksgiving in a three-hour ordeal, and never produced a warrant.

Arnwine says she was at home with four family members, including an 80-year-old relative, when the SWAT team from Prince George’s County, Md., arrived at 5:30 a.m., Politic365.com reports. Its story is based on Arnwine’s appearance on the Washington, D.C., radio station WPFW and the Rev. Al Sharpton’s show, Keepin’ It Real.

“They held us at gunpoint for three hours,” Arnwine said. “There is no justification for them operating like this. It’s totally unprofessional and unjustified.”

Arnwine says police didn’t believe her when she identified herself as a lawyer, and they asked what law school she had attended. Arnwine is a Duke University law graduate. When she cited her Fourth Amendment rights, Arnwine says, one officer allegedly responded, “The Fourth Amendment doesn’t apply here.”

Arnwine didn't immediately respond to an ABA Journal email seeking comment.

Arnwine is represented by Willie Gary, a “heavyweight personal injury lawyer” and “multimillionaire legal powerhouse,” Politic365.com reports in a new story. He told the publication the police conduct was “despicable” and “violated constitutional rights all over the place.”

Documents from the Prince George’s County Police Department indicate officers were looking for items related to a Nov. 4 armed robbery, and the suspect is someone who lives in Arnwine’s home, according to Politic365.com. Sources tell the publication that the suspect is a relative of Arnwine’s. Gary said the relative was not arrested during the SWAT team raid.

“I think the issue here is [police] conduct towards Barbara, her mother and others,” Gary told Politic365.com. “They falsely imprisoned them, they invaded their privacy and they threatened to kill them. …. Even in the process of executing a search warrant there is a manner and a way that things should have been conducted.”

Updated at 1:05 p.m. to include new information from Politic365.com.